A Plein Air Painter's Blog

The Problem with Pastels

2012-01-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

Faber-Castell Polychromos

Mount Vision

I love painting in pastel. Pick up apastel stick, and you've got immediate color. Paint with it, and itcalls up all the pleasure you had as a kid finger-painting. Pastelis also how I got back into painting, so it has a very special placein my heart.

But here's my problem with pastel. It's not easy to restock your pastel box.

I keep my pastels sorted in two ways inmy Heilman Pastel Box. First, by hue: Green, blue, violet, red,orange and yellow. (I also have a couple of spots where I stash afew browns and greys.) Second, by value, with dark at the top andlight the bottom. If I've recently restocked the box, painting is areal pleasure.

But over time, such as when I'mtravelling cross-country teaching workshops, sticks I use frequentlyget worn down to nubs. Sometimes I even run out of a color. By thetime I'm ready to restock, I have to pull out each nub with tweezersand try to match it against my color chart. (See my color charts, above.) For the colors Iexhausted while en route, I have to take a long, hard look at my boxto see what's missing. Sometimes I don't see what's missing until Ineed that particular color again.

Restocking the box is, in my mind, aproject on the level of doing my annual taxes. And, I have to admit,I restock the box about as frequently as I do my taxes.

I know there are many systems out therefor restocking your pastel box. As any of you who've taken myworkshops know, I'm a pretty organized guy. I have a good system,so long as I keep on top of it. That's the way with any system - youhave to keep on top of it.

My system for restocking my oilpainting box is far easier. I have eight tubes of paint. If onetube looks low, I grab a backup. I always keep at least one backupof each color in stock. Keeping track of eight oil colors is a snapcompared to keeping track of several hundred pastel sticks.

All that said, I love pastel. If youwant to grab color and go, there's nothing like it.

Next time: The Problem with Oils.

Painting Scraps and Composition

2012-01-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

Back when I first started painting in pastel, everything I painted was a custom size. I cut my paper to fit the scene. Instead of 9x12s, 12x16s and so on, I ended up with sizes like 13x17. This meant that every framing job was a custom job - and thus somewhat expensive. On a beginning artist's budget, it didn't take me long to figure out that painting to standard sizes would save me money, because I could buy readymade frames and precut mats.

I did this for years. But standard formats began to cramp my style. Sometimes, a landscape would demand something other than a 9x12 (or a 3:4 format), such as a double-square (1:2) or even a triple-square (1:3). As I began to explore design, I found that I was hurting myself by sticking with the standard formats. Yet, I felt that I needed to stay standard, since any sketch might turn into a masterpiece that I'd have to frame.

But when cutting paper for standard sizes, I always seemed to end up with odd-sized scraps. I began to use these for quick little sketches outdoors. I began to really enjoy doing "scrap" paintings. The practice was liberating, because I knew I wasn't going to frame them.

Somewhere along the line, I stopped thinking about the framing altogether. I started thinking just about the painting. If, I thought, an odd-sized piece were to end up being good enough to frame, then I'd deal with it when the time came. I'd come full-circle regarding sizes.

These days, when I take my 9x12 sheet into the field, I'm likely to take a piece of tape and mask off a smaller area that fits my scene better. This always leaves me a scrap for later. Here are two sketches I did this week on a single 9x12 sheet. Neither design would work well in a 9x12 format.

By the way, we had a day of overcast and snow squalls. These were painted on that day.

Painting Scrap 2 (2.5x11.5)

Painting Scrap 1 (6x11.5)

Tubac, Arizona, Workshop Report

2012-01-22T09:59:00.001-07:00

I spent the last week in historic Tubac, Arizona, teaching an oil-only advanced plein air painting workshop. We had fantastic weather - crisp mornings, warm afternoons - and equally fantastic scenery. One of the things I like most about Tubac, besides the consistent January weather, is the architecture. Thanks to a few hundred years of history, starting with the Spanish in 1752, the town has many fascinating structures. Although I hadn't intended for the workshop to focus on buildings, we painted adobe houses in Old Tubac, parts of the Spanish Presidio and the monumental structures at the Tumacacori Mission. It wasn't until the last day that we relaxed a bit and painted views of the less-challenging Santa Rita mountains.

I'll be offering a Tubac workshop again next year, January 15-18, 2013, through Katherine Reyes Workshops. Put it on your schedule now, and stay tuned for details. In the meantime, here are a few paintings and photos from this week.

Demo - Tumacacori Mission, 5x7 oil

Demo - The Tortilla Lady, 9x12, oil

Demo - Adobe Home, 9x12, oil

Demo - Otero Hall at the Presidio, 5x7, oil

Demo - Santa Rita Mountains, 9x12, oil (knife)

Demo - Tubac, the Ninth Hole, 9x12, oil

Tumacacori Mission - Detail

Tumacacori Mission

Dos Silos Ranch

Plein Air Convention and Expo in Las Vegas

2012-01-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm one of about 30 artists who have been invited to demonstrate and teach at the very first Plein Air Convention & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-15. The artists include such luminaries of the plein air universe as Scott Christensen, Clyde Aspevig, Matt Smith, Jeremy Lipking and Ken Auster. I'm honored to have been invited and excited to be in their company. If you're coming out, you should be excited, too. The event is an all-you-can-eat plein air buffet!

There'll be plenty of events to attend, but I'm looking forward to the painting sessions at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. To minimize traffic in the conservation area, the Expo's organizers (Plein Air Magazine) have thoughtfully arranged for buses to take participants in. Once there, you'll get to pick and choose whom to watch, and you can watch as many of us as you wish. But in addition to painting, there'll be formal demonstrations and lectures plus keynote events with John Singer Sargent expert Richard Ormond and California Impressionist historian Jean Stern, among others.

Although I haven't been to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, it sounds like it'll be a really great area to paint in. Here's a little about the area from the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) website:

Red Rock Canyon was designated as Nevada's first National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon is located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard/State Route 159. The area is 195,819 acres and is visited by more than one million people each year. In marked contrast to a town geared to entertainment and gaming, Red Rock Canyon offers enticements of a different nature including a 13-mile scenic drive, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, nature observing and visitor center with exhibit rooms and a book store.

The unique geologic features, plants and animals of Red Rock Canyon NCA represent some of the best examples of the Mojave Desert. One million visitors each year enjoy the spectacular desert landscape, climbing and hiking opportunities, and interpretive programs sponsored by the BLM.

The conference will be based at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa just outside of Las Vegas, and they have a special rate for participants.

It'll be a great time. I hope to see you there.

Seeking New Painting Workshop Venues

2012-01-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for new landscape painting workshop venues for 2013 and 2014.

Would you or your group be interested in inviting me to teach in your town? I have a new program, "From Sketch to Studio," in which students will spend time out in the field gathering reference material with cameras and sketchbooks and then go to the studio to create finished works. I'll show my process and cover the finer points of creating finished studio paintings from the reference material.

I'll work in oil or pastel, but students may work in any medium. Length of the workshop may be anywhere from two to five days. The program can also be customized, such as an all-plein-air workshop or one that is based totally in the studio.

If your group hosts art exhibitions, such as an annual members' show, I'm also available to judge or serve as a juror in conjunction with a workshop.

For more information and pricing, please contact me at mcj.painter@gmail.com.

If you're part of a group, feel free to send this entire post on to your program director.

About Michael Chesley Johnson

An award-winning landscape painter, Michael has taught for art centers and art groups across the country for over ten years. A Contributing Editor for The Artist's Magazine and a frequent writer for The Pastel Journal, he has authored several books and videos, including Backpacker Painting: Outdoors with Oil & Pastel. Artist's Network TV offers two of his full-length demonstration videos. In 2009, he gave two well-received demonstrations to the biennial International Association of Pastel Societies convention in Albuquerque.

For more about Michael:

www.MichaelChesleyJohnson.com
http://www.michaelchesleyjohnson.com/html/schedule.htm (Michael's current schedule)
www.PaintSedona.com (winter/spring mentoring plein air workshops in Arizona)
www.PaintCampobello.com (summer/fall plein air workshops in the Canadian Maritimes)
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com (A Plein Air Painter's Blog with helpful tips for the student)

New THROUGH A PAINTER'S BRUSH Book Coming

2012-01-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I said I try to write a book a year. Since that time, the annual book has become other projects that include, among other things, videos. This year, I'm returning to the book idea with Through a Painter's Brush: The Southwest.

The book will be similar in concept to Through a Painter's Brush: A Year on Campobello Island, which I published back in 2007. It'll be a hefty collection of paintings, both oil and pastel, plus photographs and essays about both the area and my painting process. I'll also include two plein air painting demonstrations, one in oil and the other in pastel. It'll be a beautiful book.

I've had my sights on writing this book ever since I finished the Campobello one, but I wanted to wait until I'd built up a significant body of work. After having lived in New Mexico for five years and several winters now in Arizona, plus much travel through the other Four Corner states, I'm ready. The problem is - I have too much!

So, this book will be larger than the earlier book. Campobello has 140 pages and 150 illustrations, 75 of which are paintings, but I can't say exactly yet how many more the new book will have. I will say I've pulled over 300 paintings for possible inclusion. I'll make the book available in both print and digital editions. Tip: the digital version will weigh a lot less, and cost a lot less, too.

I love to play around with design, so I've included a draft cover in this post. (You can tell I really like that recent Grand Canyon painting!) I know, it's a bit like putting the cart before the horse, but I had fun doing it. The book should be out this summer.

By the way, if you're interested in the earlier book on Campobello Island, it's still available in three versions:

Paperback - $35
PDF format - $20
ePub format - $20

Painting Grand Majesty with a Tiny Knife

2012-01-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

"Precipice at the Grand Canyon" 16x20, oil

I spent the last week working on another studio piece for the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art this next September. This one is a 16x20 and took many days. Why so long? Well, I painted with a teensy-weensy painting knife.

If you haven't painted with a knife before, you're in for a treat. Because a single wipe of the towel cleans your knife perfectly, you won't be going into your palette with a dirty tool, and your color mixtures will be richer and cleaner. And, the fact that you can clean the tool with a single wipe is a real pleasure. You use very little mineral spirits or, sometimes, none.

My Two Knives

The size of the tool is inversely proportional to the time it takes to paint with it. The smaller the knife, the more minutes and hours. Although I have several knives, I chose to work with smaller ones. I wanted a bit more detail and to take a little more care with edges and the shapes of things. In some ways, my smallest knife was like digging the Grand Canyon with a teaspoon. It can be tedious, but it can also be like meditation, especially with the right radio station.

I started off the painting by toning the panel with a mixture of Prussian Blue, Yellow Ochre and alkyd Transparent Red Earth (Gamblin FastMatte.) This gave the panel a rich, olive tone that dried quickly. Next, using a #4 hog bristle flat, I sketched in my design with Burnt Sienna. Then I did a quick block-in with a #12 bristle flat to establish a foundation of color. I've learned that painting with a knife goes faster if the color you're spreading on is somewhat like the color that's beneath it. That is, don't try painting with a knife on a white background, and don't try it with red on a green background. If the background color is too different, you'll obsessively try to paint over every speck of background color. (Unless you're less obsessive-compulsive or paint more impressionistically than I , and can let those little spots go.)

Next, I went from background to foreground, working with the larger of my two small knives. With this knife, the sky went rapidly and so did the more distant parts of the canyon. But once I moved to the cliff in the middle ground and the foreground precipice, I switched to my smaller knife. Finally, I moved back into the distance and added implied detail to the distant canyon areas with this same knife. Here are some detail shots of the painting for you to enjoy.

Tubac, Arizona, Plein Air Oil Painting Workshop

2012-01-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

"Tumacacori Jacal" 9x12, oil - private collection

For those of you looking for a warm-weather-getaway, I still have spaces left in my Tubac, Arizona, oil plein air painting workshop. Tubac, located in the Sonoran Desert, is one of the earliest settlements in Arizona and is home to the Tumacacori Mission, which was established in 1691 and is now a National Historic Park, and the Presidio, a fort founded in 1752 and now a State Park. Besides painting at these historic places, we'll paint Tubac's colorful streets and its mountain views.

The workshop is oil-only and for intermediate-advanced painters. It runs Tuesday-Friday, January 24-27. That's next week! Price is $395.

We'll be based at the Floating Stone Inn & Aqua Spa, which is also offering lodging to students at a 10% discount. The Inn occupies the historic Poston Estate and sits in Old Town Tubac, with many interesting shops and restaurants.

If you're interested in joining us, contact Kathy Reyes, organizer, right away at 520-820-2416.

Here are some images to whet your appetite. The painting at the top, by the way, is a demonstration I did during last year's workshop.

Painting in Tubac

St Anne's Catholic Church

Painting at Tubac Golf Resort & Spa

Historic Tumacacori Bar (great pool table!)

Tumacacori Mission

Painting at the Mission

Stretched Canvas or Hardboard Panel?

2012-01-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

Outdoor painters work on many differentsurfaces. I know one painter who even works on copper! But for me,it's usually a choice between canvas or hardboard panel.

I prefer hardboard panels. The reasonis that, unlike canvas, they're puncture-proof. (The area aroundSedona is thick with thorny vegetation like catclaw acacia, mesquiteand prickly pear cactus.) I can also get more of them into a wetpainting carrier. If I want a store-bought panel, I use AmpersandGessobord or Claybord. If I want some interesting texture, I'll makemy own on untempered hardboard sealed with Gamblin PVA size followedby a coat or two of Golden Acrylic Gesso randomly applied. I don'tuse linen or canvas on boards because I don't like to paint on awoven surface placed against a rigid substrate.

Unfortunately, above a certain size,hardboard panels become heavy to lug around. My solution for this isto use stretched canvas, which will be lighter than any hardboardpanel over 16x20.

But canvas has its own problems. First, it's not puncture-proof. Second, the canvas transmits light. Anyone who's painted on canvas in a brightly-lit desert will haveseen the effect of light passing through the canvas and illuminatingthe painting from behind. It's nearly impossible to judge value andcolor that way.

My solution for this is to insert asheet of foamboard, cut to fit tightly within the stretcher bars, andto secure it with framer's points. If you use something like a gun(Fletcher's FrameMaster) to shoot in the points, you must be carefulto not shoot the points through the canvas! I prevent this by gentlypushing up on the canvas from below, which raises the board upslightly, letting the gun shoot the points a little higher up on thestretcher bar. See the photo above for how this would look when done.

By the way, in case you missed the announcement the first time, I have a free 7-minute pastel painting video demonstration on my YouTube channel.

Why I Don't Do Giclees, Part 2

2012-01-05T06:45:00.001-07:00

"Grand Canyon Gold" - detail

I hadn't expected to stir up such a hornet's nest with my last post on giclées. The torrent of comments was unprecedented in my years of blogging. The comments ranged from "Thanks, I'm glad someone finally said that" to "I don't agree with you at all." And the thing is, so many people on both sides made so many excellent points.

The arguments can be sorted, more or less, into two piles. In the first, artists feel that their unique, handcrafted items will be devalued by reproductions sold to a public uneducated on the differences among the types of reproduction and original art. In the second, artists feel that selling reproductions to a public that appreciates a pleasing image is a good way to make a living, as it supplements (and perhaps encourages) the sale of originals.

Yes, there were lots of sub-arguments and hard-to-classify statements. But what it all comes down to is this. What are your goals as an artist? In many ways, making reproductions becomes a personal choice. It's not a case of one size fits all. The answer that's right for me may not be the right answer for you.

For me, I relish the hand-crafted. I like to see the brush strokes and the process beneath the painting. In some ways, not only is a painting a thing of beauty, it's also a recording of the artist's performance. By looking carefully, I can see the painter's mistakes, corrections and discoveries. I get a lot of enjoyment out of that. The value has to do more with emotion than dollars.

Granted, this sensibility is shared more by other artists and discerning collectors than by the public-at-large, who usually just want something pretty to hang on the wall.

But I relish the image, too. Whether dramatic or subtle, knife-edged or soft, bleeding with color or grey with summer-day haze, the image must be something I love. I will buy a reproduction of an image I like if I can't afford the original. If the color and design are appealing enough, I'll sacrifice - though somewhat grudgingly - the ability to see the brush work.

Because I approach the business side with more emotion than calculation, I hope to sell my work to people who also appreciate the handcrafted. I want them to buy and enjoy the original whenever possible. Thus, I keep my prices lower to make my paintings affordable to most, and I don't make reproductions. In this way, I try to encourage the purchase of original art.

Selling - and making - original art is much more satisfying to me than selling reproductions. If I wanted to make real money fast, I'd go back to my old day job.

New Pastel Video Demonstration - Monochromatic Underpainting

2012-01-03T09:12:00.001-07:00

In keeping with my "paying it forward" concept, yesterday I shot and edited a new, 7-minute video demonstration for you to enjoy. You can view it on my YouTube channel.

"Long Canyon Cliff" 9x12, pastel

In this pastel demonstration, I show how you can make use of a monochromatic underpainting to help capture light and shadow patterns effectively before moving to local color. Although this is typically a studio technique, I have adapted it for use in the field. One problem we all have when painting outdoors is keeping track of shadows and values. When you're worrying about color, it's so easy to get sidetracked. I call this the "Heartbreak of Slipping Values." Once you slide into the ditch, it's hard to climb out.

I gave a similar demonstration at the biennial IAPS (International Association of Pastel Socieities) convention a few years ago, and it was well-received. I hope you like this video version, too.

For other video demonstrations, please visit my Lulu store: http://lulu.com/spotlight/miragenm. And by the way, the demonstration painting (above) itself is for sale - $100 + $10 shipping. Let me know if you're interested.

George Browne at Mt McKinley - and Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T06:40:00.002-07:00

Well, we've made it safely to 2012 with our New Year's resolutions intact. It's hard to break those resolutions only a few hours into the new year. Mine include painting more intelligently and with direction, all with the goal of making me a more consistent painter. What are your resolutions?

The other night, we were watching an episode of Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea. It was the third episode, which has a segment on Alaska's Mt McKinley, now known as Denali. Burns presented a movie clip of the 1947 Washburn expedition preparing to make the ascent. I suddenly caught sight of what looked a lot like a painter standing in front of a Gloucester easel. I had to "rewind" and watch that clip again. Burns didn't mention a painter in the narration.

After some research, I discovered that the expedition did, indeed, take along a painter. It was George Browne, a one-eyed outdoor enthusiast who made 23 paintings on the climb. Above is a still from the Burns movie, and here is one of his paintings.

Coincidentally, the Anchorage Museum will be hosting an exhibition of Browne's work this spring. I wish I could visit Anchorage to see it. From the Museum's website, here's a little about Browne and the exhibit:

Mt. McKinley has been painted innumerable times, but nobody tackled the scenery quite like George Browne (1918-1958). Undaunted by blindness in one eye, the outdoors enthusiast not only conquered the tallest mountain in North America, he created 23 oil paintings during the climb.

These paintings are on view in the George Browne: Art of Altitude exhibition Feb. 3 through May 1.

In 1947 Browne reached the 20,320-foot summit as part of a Bradford Washburn-led scientific expedition. It was the fulfillment of a family goal that stretched back to his father Belmore’s unsuccessful attempts some 35 years earlier.

Most artists in the younger Browne’s place would have chosen to sketch in pencil, waiting to paint until they returned to solid ground. Not Browne. In addition to his climbing gear and food, he carried canvases, brushes, paint and an easel.

As the group ascended the mountain, he painted during periods of good weather. He carried the painted canvases in a plywood box designed so the wet paintings wouldn’t smear in transit.

Some of Browne’s Mt. McKinley paintings have patches missing; others remain unfinished because snowstorms obscured his view. Mother Nature thwarted him completely at 11,000 feet, when temperatures reached 20-below zero and his paint froze.

Browne died in a hunting accident in 1958 before he could touch up his Mt. McKinley paintings. They were never exhibited during his lifetime.

I admire Browne for making that trip. I don't know if there's a more "extreme painter" !

Why I Don't Do Giclées

2011-12-30T05:58:00.000-07:00

"Doe Mesa Afternoon" 9x12, oil

It seems that many painters, as well as the galleries that represent them, are turning to giclée prints.

Well, a giclée print is little different from the poster you hung on your college dorm wall. Sure, it's more (much more) expensive and made with archival inks. But it's still just a printed reproduction.

They are not the same as monotypes, limited lithographic prints and the like, all of which are made through a printmaking process. Wikipedia defines printmaking thus: "Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting." I don't care if the giclée is hand-embellished, numbered and printed on canvas - it's an expensive poster.

The point is this. If you're thinking of buying something that will have monetary value down the road, it's not going to be giclée prints. Those college dorm wall posters you had are worthless. The only value they have is emotional and personal. That poster I had of Van Gogh's sunflowers was a nice decorative piece but it's now worth about five bucks, new.

As an interesting aside, I just looked up Van Gogh sunflower prints on eBay. The poster's buy-it-now price is $5. A giclée version on canvas, framed, is $69.95. Both of these are described as "rare" in the text. But compare these with one of the original sunflower paintings, which sold in 1987 for around $39,000,000 and is today estimated to be worth about $89,000,000.

If you can't buy the original, you're better off buying an inexpensive offset print, not a giclée. Giclées cheat the uninformed public, which is one reason why I don't do them.

In fact, I don't sell prints of any kind, other than on little notecards, because I feel my work is priced so inexpensively that almost anyone can afford it. And wouldn't you rather have the original, anyway? As a student, you can study it in a way you'd never be able to study a print. As a buyer, you've got an investment that a print will never be. Many of my sketches and demos are $100 and under - about the same as that giclée of Vincent's sunflowers - and my gallery pieces aren't that expensive, either. (The painting at the top of the page is for sale. I'll make you a deal - $100 +$10 shipping.)

I know the counter-arguments. If you have one painting that you could have sold a hundred times, wouldn't it make sense to make prints? Sounds good, but I think it devalues the original. I've had patrons buy certain paintings precisely because I don't make prints of them. Some artists will say prints increase the value of the original. I don't think Van Gogh's original sunflower painting has a huge pricetag because of all those prints hanging up on dorm walls. What are your thoughts?

Why Give Away All This Stuff - and About Eliphante Village!

2011-12-28T06:45:00.002-07:00

Eliphante Village Interior

At the same seminar where I was talking about social media and copyright, the topic of blogging came up. Since 2005, I've written over 700 posts, many of which are about painting technique and other useful subjects for the working artist. Someone in the audience asked, "And you give this information away for free?" Yes, I do.

Why? It's so easy to "monetize" things these days, thanks to the twin engines of consumerism and capitalism, you'd think I'd at least stick a Paypal "donate" button on the blog. But I don't charge for this information. There's a long history of "paying it forward" among artists, and I like to think I'm part of that. I've had many excellent teachers and mentors over the years, many of whom gave their advice freely. I'm sure you've had people like that in your life, too. One way of paying them back is by "paying it forward." It's a nice gesture.

Of course, we all have to make a living. That's why I paint, teach workshops and write articles and books. The free information I give out in the blog hopefully results in people buying my paintings, taking my workshops, purchasing the magazines I write for and buying my books and videos. The information in the blogs is useful, but it's only the start. There's a lot more where that came from.

If you're a working artist who has something to share, I hope you do. It feels good to share, and you'll be helping somebody else who can return the favor - by paying it forward.

By the way, yesterday Trina and I paid a visit to Eliphante Village. You have to take a little boat across Oak Creek to get to it. Crossing the creek to the Village feels very symbolic, and if you make the trip, you'll understand why. The crossing is a passage to another world. Eliphante is a little like Hobbiton - filled with strange-shaped buildings, glittery mosaics, colorful stained glass and sculpture. It was built by artists Michael and Lida Kahn over a period of 30 years or so. Eliphante was having an Open House and a potluck. We were served mesquite bean pancakes, among other vegan delicacies. I'm thinking it might be a fun place to paint. You can see one of the building interiors at the top of this post. Here's a link where you can find out more about this magical place and its history: http://www.eliphante.org/

Another Eliphante Building

Mentoring for Plein Air Painters

2011-12-26T06:57:00.001-07:00

As my loyal followers know, I offer mentoring workshops for outdoor painters here in Sedona as well as on Campobello Island. (Visit www.PaintSedona.com and www.PaintCampobello.com for details.) "Mentoring" means different things to different people, so here's my take on it.

In some ways, mentoring is what you might look for when you don't know where to go next. "Where to go" may mean where to go artistically, or where to go in a business sense. One may satisify the soul, the other the stomach.

Plato & Aristotle - a famous mentor/mentee pair

Where to go in a business sense has a very concrete goal - to make more money. Having been solely a working artist for over a decade, I feel I'm successful and that my experiences and insights can help you in a mentoring workshop.

Where to go artistically, however, is more difficult. Imagine being the guru on the mountaintop, and everyone's climbing to you for advice. It's easy to give everyone the same mysterious answer - "just keep painting," seems to be popular - but I like to give something more personal and useful.

Beginning painters don't need to climb the mountain in search of wisdom. Just read the books, take the workshops, and practice the craft. But those who have finally become fluent in their medium and are no longer beginning painters are in a different spot. They need to learn the finer aspects of the craft and to receive guidance on satisfying the soul.

It is these painters who would make ideal students for the mentoring workshops. They want to go somewhere, but they don't know where. They want to become not just better painters but better artists. An artist is someone who is using his craft to move along some path toward happiness and fulfillment, and my goal is to help you with that.

There's one more type of mentoring, and that's a retreat. A retreat is a time for you to explore and to largely find your own way. For retreats, I offer my services as a guide. I'll show you the best places to paint and, if you want it, help with issues of craft. But more importantly, the time is yours to explore the landscape - both the landscape outside you, and the one within.

Do You Want to Paint Good Art, or Paintings that Sell?

2011-12-24T06:45:00.002-07:00

Sometimes you make a painting that satisfies your soul to the deepest depths, but it doesn't sell. Sometimes you make one that you deem technically okay but uninspired, and it sells right away. If you'd made giclée prints, you could have sold it a hundred times over. Which would you rather paint? Of course, we'd all like to paint ones that do both, and sometimes, we do.

But here's a secret. I prize the ones that satisfy me and don't sell. They satisfy me even more because I know they won't sell. This is perhaps perverse, since I'm taking pleasure in what some consider a negative. But knowing that I can keep it forever means that it's mine. Sometimes you just want to keep something for yourself.

I think, too, that the ones that satisfy you but not the public have some mystery about them. Something personally engaging that you need to listen to. It may be trying to give you directions to a new and better place for you and your art.

Here's a little oil painting I did while at Zion National Park back in November.

"Blue Shadow" 5x7 oil

I doubt it'll sell because it's subtle with soft, muted color and is lacking in strong, visual impact. But it's one of my very favorites, and I have it on the wall where I can see it from the bed. So what about it appeals to me? Exactly that - the subtlety, the muted color, the lack of visual impact. It's so subtle, I'm not even sure it photographs well.

Now here's a painting that sold. I could have sold it (or, at least, any painting of this boat) many times. People are always disappointed to hear it's no longer available. I do like the painting; otherwise, I wouldn't have put it out for sale. I suppose I could make prints of it, but I won't. And why is a subject for a future blog post.

"The Simone & Rachel" 16x20, oil

(By the way, I'd appreciate it if you'd go over and "like" my Facebookpage.)

Copyright and the Internet

2011-12-22T11:00:00.002-07:00

"Grand Canyon Blue" 24x12, oil

The other day, I was speaking at a seminar about how the Internet and social media can help artists promote themselves. One artist said, "I've heard that Facebook owns the images once you post them." Another said, "But when you post them, don't you still own the copyright?"

Facebook doesn't own your images. According to the most current terms of agreement,

"You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. In addition:

For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it."

(Speaking of Facebook, I'd appreciate it if you'd go over and "like" my Facebookpage.)

Still, for any social media site or hosting service you use, you should read the terms of agreement before posting your images. It may vary from service to service.

Unless you've expressly given it away, you do own the copyright to your images. Even when you sell a painting, you retain the right to reproduce the image in formats like giclée prints and notecards - again, unless you've signed an agreement giving this right to someone else.

Of course, owning the copyright doesn't mean that an admirer won't download your image and use it for desktop wallpaper. Or that a less sensitive admirer won't create a series of notecards with it. Or worse yet, that the Chinese fine art industry won't sell "originals," made by slave-wage workers, to fancy hotel for decorating their rooms.

To make your images less attractive to theft, consider keeping your images scaled down to 1000 pixels on the longest side with a resolution of 72 dpi. (You don't need more than 72 dpi for most display screens these days.) If someone wants to see a larger version, you can always e-mail one or put it on a secure hosting service, such as Picasa. I recommend against adding a watermark; they're distracting. If it's important to you to mark your images in some way, consider adding an invisible watermark with a tool like Digimarc. Digimarc also allows you to search the Web for illegal copies of your images.

Speaking of images, above is a large (24x12) oil painting I've been working on. It's a thunderstorm in the Grand Canyon. I resized it as 72 dpi with 1000 pixels on the longest side. Below are two detail shots, same specifications.

Light and Evaluating Your Painting

2011-12-20T07:21:00.004-07:00

Painting shot under 15 watt "full spectrum" lamp

Painting shot under 60 watt incandescent lamp

Painting scanned in a Canon MG5220
(closest to the way the painting should look!)

Light is both the blessing and the curse of the plein air painter. It's a blessing, because it's the light that puts a beautiful glow on the world and prompts us to paint. But it's also a curse, because it's the light that gives us trouble when we try to evaluate our works-in-progress.

In a previous post, I discussed having the proper lighting on your painting surface and palette when in the field. But once you're back in the studio and inspecting your handiwork, you need the right lighting then, too. So, what is the "right lighting"?

The wisdom that has been passed down from master to apprentice tells us to work by north light. But north light, though consistent in quality and quantity of illumination, is too blue. Any plein air painting that's predominantly warm will not have the warmth you thought it had, and if you adjust it under north light, it'll look right only under north light! North light has a color temperature of around 7500°K. No home displays work with that kind of light. Incandescent lighting, a very yellow light, is around 3000°K. Daylight, and daylight bulbs, are around 5500°K. Museums may use bulbs that are in the 7000°K range with a CRI (color rendering index) of 100.

That's a pretty wide range to shoot for when you're trying to evaluate your paintings. If you don't believe me, on an overcast day switch on an incandescent light in your living room and then compare the light outside with the light inside. Your painter's eyes should show you how blue things looks outside and how orange things look inside. Now look at the three photos at the top of the post to see how color temperature can change things. (For the two camera photos, I used the same custom white balance setting for each, which was "fluorescent light" or around 3500°K; for the scanned image I couldn't find out what the bulb temperature is, but my scanner usually gets the color pretty close to what I want.)

My best advice is to walk your painting around to different lighting situations in your house and see how it looks. It's really impossible to adjust your painting perfectly for every lighting condition. But I find that if a painting works in my living room, which has both natural, diffused light from the windows and incandescent lamps, the painting seems to work in most situations.

Pushing the Illusion: The Secret They Don't Tell You

2011-12-18T07:31:00.003-07:00

I'm about to embark on the oil version of the pastel study I did a few days ago. With that in mind, I thought I'd post a photo of my oil studio setup:

One benefit of working from my pastel study is that I have now moved beyond the literal representation of the scene presented in my photo and sketch references. I can work hard at making all the elements in my scene work together harmoniously to create a finished painting. In real life, it's rare for all the elements to work together like that. You'd almost have to be painting in a landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted for that to happen.

When I'm in the field with my students and teaching them how to observe the landscape better, the well-tutored ones will often recite the old plein air painter's maxim: "Paint what you see, not what you know." This is useful advice, but when I demonstrate in the field, I'll often say something like, "Well, I don't really see any blue in this spot, but if I add it, I know it'll help the viewer understand what's going on." This goes against the wisdom handed down by the masters.

Now I'll give you the secret the masters don't hand down.

I do think it's very important, when you're first learning to observe, to "paint what you see." But at some point, in order to turn those plein air sketches into well-crafted paintings, it's important to take the next step. You may need to push, or even add, certain effects to create a sense of reality. In this case, it's "Paint what you know, not what you see."

For example, I know that on a clear day blue skylight will spill down into the shadows, cooling them off and creating a temperature contrast with the warmer, sunlit areas. Even if I don't see the blue, I may add it, just to help the illusion. There are many cases like that. Quite often, I will use what I know to help with the sense of distance and atmosphere. I may not see it, but I know that if I add it or enhance it, it'll help my viewers understand what's going on.

So if that's the case, why do you still have to observe carefully? Why can't you just paint the shadows blue, if you know they are? Because you'll end up with a cartoon - blue shadows, yellow sunlight and rocks that look like something out of The Flinstones. In order to get beyond the cartoon to something that looks real, you still must observe the details that define and distinguish the individual.

Second Edition: Paint Sedona - A Plein Air Painter's Field Guide to Sedona, Arizona

2011-12-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

Breaking News! Final Studio Sale Painting Posted!

We now return you to regularly scheduled programming, now in progress.

Over the last couple of years, I've found even more great spots in Sedona to paint. So, I decided I needed to create a second edition of my guide for plein air painters. The edition is now available, and it's available both as a spiral-bound paperback and as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader) download.

The new edition has 43 pages plus 35 black-and-white photos. Readers asked, Why black-and-white? The reason is that it makes the book much more affordable - $10 for a hardcopy, $7 for a download - and as a painter, I'm more interested in design than color. The photos give you a good idea of the subject matter and the layout of the land. I find that's more important to me than knowing the red rocks are, well, red.

The book does include two versions of the map, full-color on the cover (which you also get with the PDF version) and black-and-white in the interior. I've updated the map, too, to show all locations.

Each location has a photo of the terrain plus a description of the general subject matter, as well as information on parking, restrooms and when the lighting is best.

If you're coming to Sedona to paint, I hope you'll get the book. It's a very handy reference. Believe it or not, I actually use it myself to remind me of where to paint when I'm drawing a blank.

Here's a direct link to the hardcopy version of Paint Sedona: A Plein Air Painter's Field Guide to Sedona, Arizona ($10).

Here's a directly link to the download version of Paint Sedona: A Plein Air Painter's Field Guide to Sedona, Arizona ($7.)

Final Pastel Study: Grand Canyon

2011-12-15T05:58:00.001-07:00

Study: "There Will Come Soft Rains", 18x9, pastel

This is the final version of the pastel study for my Grand Canyon oil painting.

Adjustments were few, but the cool blues, violets and red-violets in the distance were too saturated, so I greyed them down. One can use a complement, of course, but sometimes the result is somewhat carnival-like, so I chose to use mostly greys to dull the color. Also, to soften the viewer's fall from foreground cliff to the distant ones, I added a stepping stone - another cliff . This intermediate cliff also gave me the chance to work a slightly cooler version of the foreground colors elsewhere into the painting; without it, those extremely warm colors would have been too isolated and given a disjointed feeling to the color harmony. Below are a couple of detail shots. (If you want to see a much larger version of any of these, right-click and select "open link in new tab". Blogger's "lightbox" image viewer no longer lets you see the biggest image possible.)

By the way, I just saw a movie that should interest plein air painters, "Vincent and Theo." Originally a mini-series shot in 1990 by Robert Altman for the BBC, it was re-edited for the big screen. As much as I enjoyed it, one thing bugged me; every time a painter (actor) was shown painting, he held the palette incorrectly. The palette wasn't supported by the forearm, but held out as if offering someone a plate of hors d'oeurves. You can't hold a palette for several hours this way, not unless you pump iron regularly. The movie is available from NetFlix (in the US) for instant viewing.

How Far Do You Walk - Poll Results

2011-12-14T07:38:00.001-07:00

The other day, I took a poll both here and on the WetCanvas forum. I asked plein air painters how far they typically walk for a painting. It's an interesting question, and beset by all sorts of variables. A painter's mobility is certainly an issue, but so also is motivation and, perhaps, common sense.

I had nearly 100 respondents. Only 10% said they usually painted from the car or the parking lot. Nearly 25% were willing to walk 100 yards. Another 25% were willing to walk up to half a mile. Surprisingly, 20% were willing to "walk as far as it takes"!

Here are some of the comments I received from the "as far as it takes" group:

It varies, but up to 15 miles - usually by accident. I am lured on for too greater distance by the prospect of a better view 'round the corner, then realise I have gone too far to walk back comfortably, so I get back to the car footsore and dog tired. Coast paths and river paths are the most dangerous for this.

I voted "as far as it takes!" I lose track of how long I've walked sometimes - or how long I've snowshoed. My gear is heavy, but I get used to it after a while. Though I'm often sore when I get back home!

My maximum in the mountains was 3 1/2 hours (& 3000 feet higher.) The problem is - if you are going too fast you have to change your wet clothes (sweat) before painting.

If I have time, I've driven 3hrs (each way,) hiked 8 miles (each way,) plus elevation gain. I love the places I've gone, but all that effort getting there really saps the energy levels to actually paint.

What puzzles me is that when you are going out further and further on a day looking for a subject and nothing seems to be good, but coming back when you have no time left and sore feet there are great pictures in every direction you look.

This made me count the times I've gone out only to sweat up hill and back down again for a painting spot. I've gotten bee-bitten, poison-oaked and nearly skunked in my efforts and they are the more memorable ones at that!

Frederic Church wouldn't have made those great paintings of the Andes if he hadn't travelled all the way there to make a few color sketches.

By the way, the latest issue of Plein Air Magazine has my picture in it. Because you'll have to hunt for it, I've imaged the page below with my picture outlined in red. It's the ad for the Plein Air Convention & Expo coming up in April 2012. I'm honored to be one of the painters in the program.

And the studio sale continues!

Working Toward a Studio Painting

2011-12-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Rain Storm Study, 18x9, pastel

I can you hear saying, "But this is supposed to be a blog about plein air painting!" And you're right. But here's the connection: I'm in the process of creating a studio painting for a plein air event, using plein air sketches and photographs.

As part of the Grand Canyon 2012 "Celebration of Art," I need to create a studio piece that will be hung in the exhibit alongside the plein air work created during the week. Faithful readers of my blog know that I had some pretty dramatic weather this past year - hail, lightning, torrential downpours. This made for some really great sketching and photography. And as I was mulling over the studio piece, it occurred to me to do something other than the usual "sunlit rocks at dawn/dusk" painting. Sure, there's nothing like the near-incandescent glow of the Canyon at the "golden hour" - but I like something a little moodier.

Although I plan on doing an oil painting that's 24x12, a tall vertical, I felt it'd be better to solve composition and color problems early on in a smaller format. I chose an 18x9 format, which has the same proportions. I also decided to do it in pastel. Pastel is better because I have a harder time making mud with pastel, and thus the color choices will be clearer to me when I refer back to the study.

At the top of this post is the 18x9 study. I'll let this sit for awhile on my "viewing mantle" before moving on to the oil version.

Oh, and the studio sale continues! Only 12 days left till Christmas.

Walkabout - a Poll

2011-12-11T08:31:00.001-07:00

I'm curious to know how far a plein air painter will usually walk from the car to the painting spot. There's a poll in the right column for this, and I hope you'll take it. (If you're reading this through your newsreader or via e-mail, you won't see the poll; click here to go directly to my blog.)

Some of us like to paint right out of the car; others of us may walk a mile or more to get the right scene. The farthest I've hiked was a day hike in the San Juan range near Ouray, Colorado; I threw a box of pastels and some paper in my backpack and went up, up, up. I don't remember exactly where I stopped - it was years ago, and I had more hiking stamina then - but it was at least a couple hours in. Experience has shown me that I don't have to hike anywhere near as far to find a good scene. Sometimes the best ones are right under our noses.

On the other hand, there's nothing like having a good story to tell about a painting. As you can tell, I still like to tell the one about hiking into the San Juans to paint.

Not Painting the Obvious

2011-12-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

"Bear Mountain View" 6x12, oil

One of the problems with painting in truly spectacular places is that it is so easy to paint the obvious. Especially if it's a famous spot, the chances are you'll paint a hackneyed view, something that's been on hundred of postcards and in thousands of family photo albums. Sedona is a bit like that. Everyone likes to photograph (and paint) Cathedral Rock with the waters of Oak Creek shimmering in the foreground. I'm guilty of dozens of such photos and paintings. But it is a pretty scene!

What is the obvious? I'm speaking more about design than anything else. Even if Cathedral Rock weren't famous, it'd still be an obvious scene. The creek provides a great lead-in for the viewer, and the rock itself is a perfect center of interest. Frederick Law Olmsted couldn't have designed a more visually pleasing landscape.

But it's too easy. Plant a dozen painters in front of it, and they'll paint virtually the same design. (Granted, media and style will be different.)

When you're confronted with the obvious, turning around 180 degrees and painting something else will force you into discovery mode. Discovery mode is something we should all stretch for. It's what makes us grow as painters.

There's one place where I've never been able to find the obvious. Compositions are frustratingly hard to come by. It's the old town dump, now overgrown with prickly pear, creosote bush and juniper. You do get views of the Sedona red rocks, but they are distant. What a great idea it would be to take a group of students there and tell them to find something to paint. They'd probably scratch their heads, ask me why we just didn't go to Cathedral Rock where there is something to paint. Someday, they'd understand I was doing them a favor.

Above is a sketch I did there yesterday.

Outdoor Painting Sizes

2011-12-08T06:10:00.001-07:00

Last week I ran an informal poll among my blog readers and WetCanvas forum participants. The question was, What size do you most typically paint in outdoors? I was curious, because I'm in the process of writing an article for The Artist's Magazine on large format outdoor painting.

I limited the poll to certain sizes. I suggested to participants that they find a size that is close if they didn't see theirs listed. Over 130 painters responded, and if you're one of them, thank you!

Here are the percentages:

Remember that these are what respondents typically paint in.

Here are some observations:

Nearly three-quarters of the respondents typically paint either 8x10 or 9x12
All but 4% typically paint 12x16 or smaller

I suppose a follow-up poll might ask, What do you consider to be a large format? But, if one were to postulate that a large format is anything that most people don't paint in, anything over 12x16 would be large.

By the way, there are still several shopping days left till Christmas! The studio sale continues a bit longer.

Eve, the Little Mermaid - Sedona Arts Center Fundraiser

2011-12-07T15:35:00.001-07:00

"Eve, the Little Mermaid" 6x6, oil - $100 (see below)

The Sedona Arts Center (www.sedonaartscenter.com) has embarked on a fundraiser to help with repairs of the historic barn, which houses it. The barn was an apple barn in days gone past, and so the title of the fundraiser is fitting: "Apples for the Art Barn." It's a worthy cause, since SAC does a huge amount to help with local arts education.

From the website:
All artworks will be sold at the set price of $100 with a goal of raising $10,000. This will be combined with the existing funds and will be used to replace the siding, insulation and windows of the Art Barn to preserve the historical building of Sedona Arts Center.

The show, which runs until January 4th, consists of little paintings, all 6x6, with "apples" as the theme.

My contribution is pictured above. My grandfather, for some reason, had a little collection of ceramic mermaids, each stamped with "Made in Occupied Japan" on the bottom. I suspect they came from my father, who served in the Marines in the Pacific in World War II. (He was one of the few who made it back alive from Iwo Jima.) After my grandfather died, this collection came to me. I really like the juxtaposition of this saucy lass with the apple. Was there ever a mermaid named "Eve"?

The support is coarse-textured canvas, and as such, one can't put much detail into a painting. I used Gamblin's FastMatte alkyds, partly because of the quick dry-time, but also because it allowed me to paint loosely and with a pastel-like finish.

If you're interested in this little piece, please let SAC know. They'll gladly help you with the purchase and will ship. You can reach them at 928-282-3865.

Thoughts on Teaching

2011-12-06T08:13:00.001-07:00

Photo by Ruth Ann Sturgill

Over the centuries, most painters have taught. Back during Leonardo's day, painters took on apprentices to help with the dirty work of grinding paint and cleaning the hearth, but they also took care to teach the apprentices a thing or two. This happened in the French academic period, too, but instruction was more formalized with a curriculum that lasted several years. In the last century, plein air painters like Charles Hawthorne and William Merritt Chase set up schools that became very popular. You may have seen some of the historic photos of students lined up like lemmings at the ocean. And today, of course, you'll find many excellent plein air painters who teach, some only in their home town, but others who range across continents.

Hawthorne Class

Teaching, if you are serious about it, can take a lot of time away from painting for yourself. It involves lecturing and, quite often, doing lengthy demonstrations in which you may paint to illustrate a point and not to make a fine picture. You may paint to show how the temperature of shadow differs from that of light, or how a rock can be depicted as a series of interlocking planes. If the stars are properly aligned, one of these demos may turn out well enough that a couple of brush strokes applied in the studio may turn it into something to frame. But you're not often that lucky.

Someone once asked me, When do you paint for yourself? Although I schedule a great many workshops, I also make sure to schedule long periods of time for myself. It's during these times that I'm researching techniques, exploring and trying to grow as a painter. Those weeks are precious to me, and I wouldn't give them up. I want to continue to be painter who teaches - and not a teacher who paints.

Painters teach for two reasons. First, to butter their bread when painting sales are down. Second, because they enjoying sharing the craft and their vision. But I've found a third reason to teach. I also teach for friendship. Over the years, a number of students have become not just good painters but good friends as well. There's a camaraderie that develops when students come back again and again, getting better each time. And it's very rewarding to have students follow me in my teaching travels.

Don't forget that I'm teaching in Sedona this winter: www.PaintSedona.com. I have other workshops, too, so click here for a full schedule.

Scottsdale Artists School Workshop in Tubac, Arizona

2011-12-04T10:13:00.001-07:00

"Yellow House, Tubac" 9x12, oil

I have a plein air workshop coming up in Tubac, Arizona, that I'd like to spread the word about. This will be through Scottsdale Artists' School, and I am, quite frankly, tickled pink that they asked me to teach a workshop. SAS is one of the premiere art schools in the country, and I'm proud to be part of it.

The workshop runs January 23-26, 2012, (that's a Monday-Thursday) and will be based at Amado Territory Ranch Inn. (That's about 8 minutes from Tubac.) The workshop is for all levels and all media, although I will be working in oil and pastel. Space is limited, and so is the lodging, so don't delay in signing up!

You can register here at the Scottsdale Artists' School site.

Here's a little about the workshop:

Join Michael Chesley Johnson for a mid-winter retreat in historic Tubac, Arizona. Tubac is one of the earliest settlements in Arizona and is home to the Tumacacori Mission, which was established in 1691 and is now a National Historic Park, and the Presidio, a fort founded in 1752 and now a State Park. Besides historic buildings, we'll paint Tubac's colorful streets and its mountain views.

For the student not yet comfortable with plein air painting, this workshop will show them how to get out in the field with a minimum of fuss and baggage. Holding to the concept that everything a painter needs should fit into a backpack, students will learn to strip down their gear to the essentials. In addition, they'll learn an easy, step-by-step process to capture the moment without sacrificing mood and magic.

During the four-day workshop, students can expect to do at least one painting a day. They can expect daily demonstrations plus some studio time for initial lectures, critiques and wrap-up. Portable easel and transportation necessary.

I hope you'll join me! Below are some photos to whet your appetite.

St Ann's Catholic Church

Historic Storefront in Tubac

Local Color in Tubac

More Local Color in Tubac

Historic Tumacacori Bar (great pool table!)

Tumacacori Mission Courtyard

Tumacacori Mission Bell Tower

Demonstration at the Mission

Two Ways of Approaching Painting

2011-11-30T15:59:00.001-07:00

Fall Arrives at Cathedral Rock, 8x10 oil - SOLD

There are basically two ways of creating a plein air painting. First is the one that's probably familiar to most people. That is, one works from big shapes to small shapes. Usually, the process starts with a block-in and putting color down on every square inch of canvas, and it then ends with adding detail. In my mind, this method is very well suited to the time challenges of plein air painting. If you can block in the shadows and lights in about 30 minutes, it doesn't matter so much if the light changes in the next couple of hours.

I have my own twist to this. In the block-in stage, I don't agonize over precise color mixtures. Instead, I make my best guess and go with it. The block-in goes much faster this way. But in the next stage, I spend considerable time adjusting my "best guess." I do this by comparing adjacent shapes with respect to value, temperature, hue and intensity. Have I painted Shape A cool enough with respect to Shape B? Is it dark enough and dull enough? Sometimes this refining process may take several passes. I don't mind if this is all I accomplish in a single painting session, as it most accurately records the sense of light. I've found with my students that this is a very intuitive and comfortable way to work.

The painting above is one that I did today this way as a demonstration.

The second way of painting is to mix exactly the right color and put it in the right spot from the get-go. I know several very successful painters who work this way, but I personally find it agonizingly difficult. It's also a very slow process. If you are working in fast-changing conditions, it'll be impossible bring a painting to any sort of completion. On the other hand, if you start with your center of interest and make an effort to get at least that part perfect, you'll have a vignette. The rest of the painting can be finished - if one can use that term - in a very loose manner.

I liken plein air painting to sculpting a head. It's a lot easier to start with a big lump of clay and massage it into something that looks like a head than to construct the perfect components of a head - ear, nose, eyes - and to then attach them to a ball. This is because each part of the head exists only relative to every other part, and they all must look "right" together. Every color shape in a painting depends on its neighbor to help create its identity.

By the way, we're still offering gift certificates for Paint Sedona workshops, and the studio sale continues.

Painting Sedona Gift Certificates

2011-11-29T06:46:00.001-07:00

Well, I missed Cyber Monday because I was on the road, but why can't we have a Cyber Tuesday, too? Or maybe even a Cyber December. With that in mind, I thought I'd offer gift certificates for my Paint Sedona workshops. If you have a loved one who might love to get away to Sedona for a wonderful painting experience, please consider giving a gift certificate to one of my Paint Sedona workshops. (For details on Paint Sedona, visit www.PaintSedona.com.) I still have several weeks available. The gift certificate is $350 and pays for a workshop in full.

To buy a gift certificate, fill in the student's name below, and then click on Buy Now. During the payment process, you will also be asked where I need to send the certificate - this is important! Once I receive your payment, I'll send out the gift certificate right away. Certificates are good through March 2012 only. Once the student gets her gift, she should contact me right away to pick her week. (Workshops are first come, first served, and limited to no more than four students.)

By the way, my holiday studio clean-out sale of sketches and demos continues! Visit http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/.

Waves and Robinson Jeffers

2011-11-26T07:14:00.001-07:00

Tor House

We plein air painters, especially the ones who try to make a living of it, are sometimes too focussed in our interests. It's like a diet of all chocolate - addictive, nourishing in its own way, but maybe too much of a good thing. Well, here's a little fiber for you. I want to introduce the poet Robinson Jeffers.

Jeffers was a popular poet back before World War II. He built a home in Carmel out of stones he hauled up from the beach. During the war, he fell from favor because he was against it. But lately he's experiencing a revival as a poet for environmentalists. He was very much grounded in nature and the landscape, which is why I recommend him to painters. If Jeffers had been a painter, he probably would have been a plein air painter.

We took a tour of a home he built in Carmel - Tor House - and its accompanying tower, Hawk Tower. Tours are given only on Fridays and Saturdays, with no more than six people. The house and tower are very special, because they have all of the original furnishings and are in the spot Jeffers left them. It's amazing to see the tower, which Jeffers built singlehandedly. The tower had a room for him to write in, a room for his wife Una to hang out in - she had asked him to build the tower for her - and a room for the twins to play in.

Hawk Tower

We've been having some beautiful swells and crashing waves these last couple of days. I've taken lots of photos and even some video of the waves. (The best way for a painter to get a good shot of a wave for painting is to take a video and then step through the frames to find the one frame that has the best wave.) With that in mind, here's a poem Jeffers wrote about waves.

November Surf

Some lucky day each November great waves awake
and are drawn
Like smoking mountains bright from the west
And come and cover the cliff with white violent cleanness:
then suddenly
The old granite forgets half a year’s filth:
The orange-peel, egg-shells, papers, pieces of clothing,
the clots
Of dung in corners of the rock, and used
Sheaths that make light love safe in the evenings: all
the droppings of the summer
Idlers washed off in a winter ecstasy:
I think this cumbered continent envies its cliff then….
But all seasons
The earth, in her childlike prophetic sleep,
Keeps dreaming of the bath of a storm that prepares up
the long coast
Of the future to scour more than her sea-lines:
The cities gone down, the people fewer and the hawks
more numerous,
The rivers mouth to source pure; when the two-footed
Mammal, being someways one of the nobler animals, regains
The dignity of room, the value of rareness.

Waves at Asilomar Beach

Just as a reminder, my studio painting sale continues for a little while longer. I'm posting sketches and demos daily. If you would, please check it out at my studio store where you can see the full list of what's available - http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/

17-Mile Drive and Cannery Row

2011-11-24T08:31:00.001-07:00

We continued our explorations with a drive up to Pacific Grove and Monterey. One famous route north is the 17-Mile Drive, which snakes through the Pebble Beach community. Pebble Beach isn't just noted for its golf course; some of the oldest Monterey cypresses can be found along this route, and a good deal of dramatic scenery. You'll have to be careful as a painter, though, because any images you make can't be used for commercial purposes - the Pebble Beach Company owns the landscape. When you go out to the Lone Pine, which occupies a tiny foothold at the edge of a cliff, you'll see a note saying that the tree is a trademark and "photographs and artistic renderings" of not just it but anything owned by PBC are for personal use only. (I don't make any money off this blog, so I can post a picture or two.)

That doesn't mean, of course, that you can't collect lots of reference material. I didn't see any sign saying you couldn't take photos or paint. Any photos and color sketches would be useful in creating a commerical work that depicts, for example, Monterey cypresses but without actually representing a particular, individual tree. Of course, spectacularly-gnarled Monterey cypresses can be found elsewhere in the area, and you might just want to go paint those, instead.

Next, we parked in Pacific Grove and walked through Cannery Row and on to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch. Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck in the eponymous book, crashed after World War II when sardines began to disappear from overfishing and people could afford to eat something other than canned sardines. (Few people really liked them; sardines were one of the few "meats" that were readily and cheaply available during the war.) But today, many of the old buildings remain. One was turned into the Monterey Aquarium and the rest of them into hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. Here is a photo from long ago, and one I took yesterday. Things look just about as busy in both.

We had lunch at Abalonetti. It was hard to decide on the many restaurants - each had a barker out front, enticing customers with samples and coupons - but we chose Abalonetti mostly because its barker told us he had outdoor, oceanside dining for dogs. But what a find! I'd only had calamari once before, years ago, and didn't care for it. But Abalonetti's Baja calamari appetizer was superb. (And so was my entree, freshly-grilled sand dabs.) Here's a link to the Abalonetti calamari story.

Today is Thanksgiving, and I give thanks for many things but also for the opportunity to visit the Monterey Bay area for a litle time off with the family. I promise I'll get back to talking about painting real soon.

Just as a reminder, my studio painting sale continues for a little while longer. I'm posting sketches and demos daily. If you would, please check it out at my studio store where you can see the full list of what's available - http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/

Etiquette for Plein Air Painters

2011-11-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

Point Lobos - Allan Memorial Grove

With the world predicted to add two billion more people between now and 2050, our precious resources will get even more precious. One of these resources is recreational space - parks, reserves and forests. Unfortunately, there are two conflicting uses of recreational space. How do you preserve a park's natural beauty and the peaceful solitude that must necessarily accompany it, and yet give the public access to it? This question will get harder to answer in a satisfactory way as the years go by.

We plein air painters are, unfortunately, not removed from this conflict. We want our unspoiled, quiet spaces to do our work in, but we also want access to these spots - and so do a lot of other people. Photographers and hikers have as much right to them as we do.

I bring this up because of an incident at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. It is a gorgeous spot, but management has curtailed access to much of it by roping off anything that's not on a trail. They have good reasons - it cuts down on erosion and keeps hikers from wandering into poison oak.

We were hiking one of these trails when it dead-ended in a perfect "photo op" spot. Two plein air painters had discovered the spot and had set up in such a way that it was impossible for anyone else to get to the view. Since their location made it impossible to take a picture of the scene, I took a picture of them.

I blurred the photo to protect their identity, but you can see how the space is confined. To the right of them is one rope, and just out of the frame to the left is another. They had set up so they occupied the width of the trail and the last ten feet of it. Now, if I were on a plein air adventure and had come across this spot, I would have thought, "Hm, enough space for one of us, but not for both of us." I'd have moved on. Also, judging from the traffic, this seemed a particularly popular spot, and I would have looked for one less popular. Who wants to deal with people trying to edge in to get the view?

I like to teach my students plein air painter etiquette. Here's what I tell them:

Never block the trail
Never block a viewpoint but set up to one side
Keep your gear compact and out of the way of others
Be respectful of other people's right to share the beauty

Once, when my students and I ended up painting at the oldest church in New Mexico's Hondo Valley, I had to chastise a student who had actually set up her gear on a flat tombstone. The stone made a great surface to stand on, but I told her I doubted the locals would take kindly to it.

But getting back to the present, we had a great day touring Carmel for old homes and spending time with the Monterey cypresses at Point Lobos. Tomorrow's adventure: Monterey.

Just as a reminder, my studio painting sale continues. I'm posting sketches and demos daily. If you would, please check it out at my studio store - http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/

Good News - Grand Canyon Plein Air Event

2011-11-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

I got the good word that I am being re-invited to the Grand Canyon Celebration of the Arts "Plein Air on the Rim" plein air event next September. The 2011 event was very rewarding for me in a number of ways, and I'm excited that I'll be working again with the wonderful people at the Grand Canyon Association. Also, the event is an important fund-raiser. The web site says: "Proceeds will be dedicated to funding an art venue on the South Rim that will preserve and showcase the spectacular collection of historic and contemporary paintings owned by Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon Association. This permanent art venue at the South Rim will help to ensure that future generations of Park visitors will be able to experience Grand Canyon art at its finest." I hope you will also come out and support this worthwhile event.

Our explorations of Carmel continued yesterday, and we spent our time gallery-hopping. Carmel has some excellent ones, and it was nice to see some good California "contemporary realism" in person. Some of my favorites were Ken Auster, Ray Roberts, Michael Obermeyer and Brian Blood. I also got to see a lot of older work by folks like Edgar Payne, Guy Rose and Hanson Puthuff. I even ran into Randall Sexton, who was delivering some paintings. I also explored Carmel's curious trees - eucalyptus, Monterey cypress and others.

Today we're looking for interesting houses to paint and also Point Lobos, which I remember from my last visit has some spectacular scenery. Time to charge up the camera batteries!

Just as a reminder, my studio painting sale continues. I'm posting sketches and demos daily. If you would, please check it out at my studio store - http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/

Scouting with a Camera

2011-11-21T06:51:00.001-07:00

Trina and I have made our way to Carmel, California, for a week of exploration. We last came to the area thirteen years ago. This time, we've come with the intention of scouting for plein air painting spots. I might want to set up a painting retreat here for myself and other painters. (Stay tuned!)

We drove up from the south along California Highway 1. This is one of the most scenic routes in the country, and as we found, one of the most harrowing in a rainstorm. Between San Simeon and Big Sur, we had heavy rain and small rock slides. Rocks the size of cinderblocks bounced into our lane, forcing us to swerve around them. (And yes, into oncoming traffic!) In a few places, the road was one-lane-only and controlled by traffic signals because of "slip outs" that had occured recently. At one slip out, we were stopped by a light where we had a steep cliff on our left and a torrent rushing along the roadside to our right. I wondered how fast that torrent had to run to undermine what pavement was left and to send us all hurtling 600 feet down to the Pacific. That stop light seemed to stay red forever.

The storm that we went though on Highway 1

Now that we're safely in Carmel, I'm looking forward to scouting. But I'm doing so only with a camera. Although I threw the pastel gear into the car at the last minute, I don't think I'll paint. Sometimes scouting with a camera is better, so long as you're using your "painter's eye" while taking photos. One of our cameras has a GPS built into it, so that'll be handy for finding the good spots next time we're here in full painting regalia.

By the way, even though I'm on the road, my studio painting sale continues. I'm posting sketches and demos daily. If you would, please check it out at my studio store - http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/

Editorial Changes and About the Studio Sale

2011-11-19T06:05:00.001-07:00

Painting at Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona
photo by Trina Stephenson

You may be wondering where today's painting for sale is. I did promise to post these demos and sketches here as I clean out my studio. I am still doing that, but I have decided to post them instead to my studio store blog. The reason is this. In the past, I've used the blog you're reading now mostly for education. If you're like me, you probably don't like sudden changes in editorial direction. In this blog, you are most likely expecting an enlightening tip on the process of painting. So, I don't want to disappoint my faithful readers. If you want to follow the sale - and I hope you do - please go to http://johnsonstudiostore.blogspot.com/ .

We now resume our normally scheduled program, already in progress.

A Guerrilla Painter's Notebook II

2011-11-14T15:57:00.001-07:00

A little over two years ago, I wrote about Carl Judson's A Guerrilla Painter's Notebook. The bookmentions that it is only the first volume, so I wrote that I waslooking forward to the next one. Well, it's here - A GuerrillaPainter's Notebook II. And just like the last one, it's a reallygood read.

In this one, Carl, who is the founderof Judson's Art Outfitters and the inventor of the Guerrilla Box, ofwhich I'm a big fan, goes on more adventures. He paints Nevada andFrance, experiments with acrylics and explains his color choices forhis oil palette. One of my favorite essays, though, talks about a26-foot panorama he did of the landscape around his home. Covering24 panels, the panorama is a beautiful piece. I enjoyed reading thedetailed description of how he went about painting it and managed toachieve a consistent "look" among all the paintings. (Tip: He unified the skies after he'd painted them.) It got me excitedenough to consider perhaps a similar project.

Here's a picture of Carl out in thefield, pondering his panorama:

I recommend the book, and it'd make anice stocking stuffer for your favorite plein air painter. (I'm surestuffing your own stocking is perfectly OK!)

A Guerrilla Painter's Notebook II byCarl Judson. 32 pages, and more images than I want to count. $9.95. Visithttp://www.judsonsart.com/pleinair/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=2071&idcategory=88.

On another note, I want to mentionagain my upcoming painting retreat in Sedona for the week of March26th. This program is only for intermediate to advanced painters orprofessionals. Participants are expected to be comfortable withpainting outdoors and their chosen medium. Painters may work in anymedium, but I'll be working in oil or pastel.

For the retreat, group lodging isincluded that has cooking facilities so participants may make theirown meals. Artists are expected to stay at the lodging to ensure an"immersion" experience in which painting is talked about incasual conversation, and impromptu demonstrations, outings or groupcritiques may result.

This is not a workshop with formalinstruction, but I'll demonstrate daily and offer end-of-the-daycritiques. I'll also guide you to some of Sedona's prime paintingspots.

Price is $1000, which includes sixnights lodging (arrive Sunday, depart Saturday). Food is notincluded, but we'll have a kitchen. The retreat is limited to fourparticipants. (Spouses and non-painting partners may be included,depending on the lodging.) If you're interested, please let me know right away. I need to have four committed by Thanksgiving in orderto secure space. I hope you'll join us!

APAA Pastel Workshop - and a Painting Retreat

2011-11-13T12:31:00.001-07:00

Look closely to see the student at the bottom!

This past Saturday I taught a one-day plein air pastel workshop for the Arizona Pastel Artists Association. One of the problems with large plein air workshops is finding adequate backup space. Even if the weather is predicted to be perfect, the forecasts themselves aren't necessarily perfect. So, you need a backup space. This space is also handy for lectures and critiques. We found a great space at Crescent Moon Day Use Area, right under the feet of Catheral Rock. We had our very own group picnic shelter and restrooms.

For this day, they weren't forecasting perfect weather. In fact, they were predicting clouds and showers. The morning started somewhat ominous. As I drove toward Sedona, I saw heavy-bellied clouds dropping showers over Bear Mountain and the Mogollon Rim. But we ended up having a great day. The sun broke out and shed a warm light on Cathedral Rock. Beautiful, puffy clouds ornamented the blue sky. We got some really nice paintings out of the day.

One of my demos, a 5x7

I want to announce a special painting retreat for the week of March 26th. This program is only for intermediate to advanced painters or professionals. Participants are expected to be comfortable with painting outdoors and their chosen medium. Painters may work in any medium, but I'll be working in oil or pastel.

For the retreat, group lodging is included that has cooking facilities so participants may make their own meals. Artists are expected to stay at the lodging to ensure an "immersion" experience in which painting is talked about in casual conversation, and impromptu demonstrations, outings or group critiques may result.

This is not a workshop with formal instruction, but I'll demonstrate daily and offer end-of-the-day critiques. I'll also guide you to some of Sedona's prime painting spots.

Price is $1000, which includes six nights lodging (arrive Sunday, depart Saturday). Food is not included, but we'll have a kitchen. The retreat is limited to four participants. (Spouses and non-painting partners may be included, depending on the lodging.) If you're interested, please let me know right away. I need to have four committed by Thanksgiving in order to secure space. I hope you'll join us!

One-Day Pastel Workshop and Las Vegas Plein Air Expo

2011-11-09T07:36:00.001-07:00

photo © Trina Stephenson

If you're in the Sedona area, you might like to know that I still have some openings in my one-day pastel plein air workshop this Saturday, November 12. The workshop is $60, runs 9-4, and beginners to more advanced pastel painters are welcome. We'll be painting at the Crescent Moon Recreation Area at Red Rock Crossing, and the price includes the $10 admission fee to the recreation area. If you'd like to join us, please let me know right away.

By the way, I have just started teaching my Paint Sedona workshops again. I'll be teaching them from now into April. If you're interested, please visit www.PaintSedona.com for details and to sign up. Cost of the 20-hour, four-day workshop is $350. Starting in February, we may also be able to get a Jeep ride to some very special locations, courtesy of my painter friend Tony Donovan!

On another note, I'm proud to announce that I am one of the plein air painters invited to demonstrate at the upcoming Plein Air Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, next spring. (Click here for the official announcement.) The convention, which is sponsored by Plein Air Magazine, is scheduled for April 12-15, 2012, and will be held at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa. I'll be demonstrating with the others in the Red Rock Conservation Area. Some of my favorite landscape painters will be there, including Ken Auster, Jeremy Lipking, Matt Smith and Ray Roberts and his wife, Peggi Kroll-Roberts. I hope you'll join us! For full details on the convention, visit the website www.pleinairconvention.com.

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 6

2011-11-06T04:38:00.001-07:00

We had rain in the night! Which meant beautiful clouds and peek-a-boo sunshine in the morning. After dropping off my replacement paintings, I went off to Court of the Patriarchs. Not to paint, but to hike. I had my eye all week on a trail that seemed to lead into the furthermost reaches of the Court's canyon. Snow pellets were spitting down as I hiked in. I ran across two herds of turkey, none of which seemed to mind that I was a bipedal predator on the prowl. The trail was easy-going most of the way, but got much steeper as I approached the back wall. The views from the trail were just amazing. The clouds were, in my mind, too fickle for painting, but perfect for photography.

Here's a Thomas Moran moment

Speaking of photography, the shutterbugs were legion. A combination of romantic, beclouded vistas and it being the weekend brought them out in droves. Not to belittle photographers, but why do they group together like this to take the same shot? Painters seem to be a little more independent. I'll give them the benefit of a doubt and assume it was a photography workshop.

Afterward, I headed back to the Nature Center to hang out. I met some really nice people, but I also got to participate in an impromptu paint-around. Las Vegas painter Kathleen Strukoff decided to fill her time by setting up an easel at the window and painting. When she took a break, I suggested we turn it into a paint-around, and so I got to do the next stint. Several other artists pitched in, too. The photo below shows Kathleen painting; the bat, which must be either a vampire bat or maybe a blowup of a Mexican freetail, is actually a decal on the window. (It is a nature center, after all!) It didn't make it into the painting. By the way, we gave the painting to the event's organizer, Anne Weiler-Brown, as a parting gift.

By mid-afternoon, I was getting pretty beat, so I left the park to top off my gas tank for the trip home and to check out a few galleries in Springdale. Then I continued my pre-packing. After a stop at the Nature Center to see how things were going, I took a sunset walk along the Pa'rus trail. I was feeling a little wistful, as this is probably my last visit to Zion until after the snowy season ends. And it does seem to be upon us! They're predicting some light snow - maybe an inch - along my route home.

That evening, we had the final lecture of the event. It was on collecting art. The speaker, Kevin Barry, is a gallery owner from Los Angeles who works mostly with corporate clients. His primary advice is sound - buy what you like.

This morning I'm off to the Nature Center again. The show's last run is from 9 until noon. After that, I'll head home, hoping to get out of the mountains before this little storm gets to percolating.

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 5

2011-11-05T04:37:00.003-07:00

A reader asked, Why don't you do pastels at the plein air events? This is a good question, since I'm probably more noted for pastel than oil. I love pastel, and I paint in pastel about half the time. But because pastels are more difficult to frame, I haven't painted in that medium for any of these events. With an oil painting, I can simply stick it in a frame and put in points to secure it. With pastel, there is always glass to worry about, even if one frames without a mat. Of course, one might argue that oil paint is wet and easily damaged by an incautious hand. I may paint in pastel at my next event - stay tuned!

But for this one, of course, I'm still painting in oil. I dropped off my five paintings yesterday morning and actually got to hang them myself. This is a pleasure, because we painters always worry when someone else is responsible for hanging. Afterward, I headed over to the Zion Lodge to get a parking space for the Quick Draw. But I had a couple of hours, so I took a nice hike along the Virgin River, playing tourist.

I've been thinking lately on the differences and similarities between plein air painters and your average tourist. As a tourist, I take many photographs and try to cover a lot of ground. As a painter, though, I take few, if any photos, and I'm tempted to paint at the same spot repeatedly. It's more about quality, not quantity. It's more about the deepness of seeing. In many ways, it's a richer experience.

We had beautiful weather for the Quick Draw on the lodge lawn. The wind held off until 12:01, one minute into the painting session, and then it became very gusty. It was comical to see little balled-up paper towels from the oil painters flying across the lawn like tumbleweeds. The wind stopped about 90 minutes later, just as the Quick Draw ended. We then had 15 minutes to get our work framed and to the auction block. I also picked up my paper towels.

After the auction, we had some free time before the Buyer's Preview Gala at 7 p.m. Although a few painters went off to paint, most went off to rest. I, however, went grocery-shopping to get some lunch. (The restaurant at the Lodge was inconveniently closed before the Quick Draw and after the auction.) I also spent some time cleaning brushes and pre-packing for my trip home on Sunday.

The Gala at the Nature Center was packed with buyers and artists. I wish I'd had about three hours all my myself there, because I really wanted to spend some time looking at all the fine work. We had a great sales staff - each festooned with a blue sash to identify themselves - and it was nice to talk with a lot of people about my work. I think I gave away more business cards than at any of the other events.

This morning, it's time to frame up some backup paintings and to take them at 9 to the Nature Center. Today's public sale runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Artists aren't required to be at the sale - it is a very long day! - but being there always helps a sale. So, I'll be there as much as possible. It's a good time to talk with me about my paintings, workshops and books. Please stop by! I'll give you a business card with a nice picture on it, and you can also buy a nice oil painting.

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 4

2011-11-04T05:11:00.001-07:00

Thursday was another crisp start, though not as cold. I felt like a hike to get the blood moving, so I parked at Zion Lodge and hiked to one of the Emerald Pools. There are three of them, and I went to the lower pool (above.) The pool is filled by a falls from a cliff high overhead the trail, and as I wanted to stay dry - and thus warm - I didn't venture past the falls. Admittedly, the falls didn't have much water at this time of year, but I think they would be very impressive in the spring. This side canyon had a lot of good color in it, especially the red of the oaks, which glowed in the canyon's shade.

Once again, I headed back to Court of the Patriarchs. This time, I made a point of hiking out into the sun to stay warm, where I did a 9x12 and a quick 5x7. The 5x7 was more of an abstract set of color-notes of cliff shadows than a full-fledged painting. Afterward, I headed down the canyon to a pull-off near the start of the canyon road. It's where I saw Josh Been and Bill Cramer the first day, and it seemed worth exploring. It was overwhelming! The view from the edge of the river encompasses enough material for dozens of paintings. Below is a shot of the location. Dwarfed by this majestic view is painter Dennis Farris of Texas, who recently was the artist-in-residence in the AIR program at Zion.

But I didn't paint the view. For my last unscheduled painting of the week, I wanted something more intimate and, to my majesty-weary eyes, less tiring. I found a large sandstone boulder surrounded by chamisa. I know, it doesn't sound like much, but the warm, reflected lights in the boulder's shadow really caught my eye.

In the afternoon I had to select five paintings to prepare for the show today (Friday.) It was a tough choice, as I have several good ones beyond the five. Below are the ones that'll be in the Friday night Buyer's Preview Gala. I'm sure they'll look better in person - they always do - so make sure you come to the Nature Center to see them firsthand!

Autumn's Turn, 9x12, oil

Beneath the Great White Throne, 9x12, oil

Little Gem, 12x9, oil

Patriarch, 16x12, oil

River Dance, 9x12, oil

In the evening, we had the second and final Meet the Artists event, held at The Spotted Dog Cafe. I enjoyed dinner with Royden Card and his wife, and it was also good to see new work by all the artists. Thanks to owner Rebecca McKown for sponsoring our dinner and a space to show our work.

So, what's left as we draw toward the end? Today is the noontime Quick Draw event, held at the Zion Lodge, followed immediately by an auction. (We have only 90 minutes to start and complete a piece!) Tonight is the Gala, which I've already mentioned. On Saturday, there's is the public sale at the Nature Center from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a lecture at 7:30 on "Creating and Sustaining an Art Collection" at the Lodge. Sunday we have the final sale from 9 to noon.

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 3

2011-11-03T04:52:00.002-07:00

Early Morning Photographer

Yesterday dawned crisp and cold. It was 30 degrees by the time I got to Court of the Patriarchs, which has become my all-time favorite morning spot. I like it for morning because it's one of the first places that gets sun at 8 a.m. But of course, somehow I always end up painting in the shade. I wore my parka, corduroy pants and glomitts this time. And also two hats. My sun hat shades my eyes and my wool hat keeps my head warm.

The other day I had turkey; this time I had mule deer passing by. Some of the bucks wore the largest racks I've ever seen. That's another reason I like Court of the Patriarchs - here, very few people venture over the bridge that spans the Virgin River, and often it's just me and the wildlife. If people want to find me, though, it's not hard. There's only one obvious trail, and I'm on it. Plus, I have a big sign in my car that says ARTIST (in all caps) and the Zion National Park Foundation, the event organizer, has stuck a sign in the parking lot that tells the public artists might be painting nearby. I'll probably be there again today, so stop by! You might see a turkey.

I did two paintings at the Court. The second was a beautiful little pool, and it was nice to paint something more intimate. I had to put away my "majestic awe" brush and pull out the "small gem" one.

Later, I headed up to Big Bend. I'd scoped it out the day before, and I loved the way the light filled this little horseshoe bend and bounced into the shadows. I also like the way the Great White Throne, which is featured on the event literature, loomed over the shadows. For this one, I actually pulled out my collapsible camp chair - my feet were tired - which allowed me to really get into the "zone."

I liked this last piece so much I chose to bring it to the "Meet the Artists" event last night. All the artists' paintings were nicely displayed on tabletop easels at Parallel 88, a fine dining restaurant in Springdale. We had wine and tapas, courtesy of executive chef and owner Jeff Crosland. A number of non-artists stopped by to chat and view the work.

Even though I was beat, I drove up to the Zion Lodge afterward for a lecture. There's an educational aspect to the event, and lectures, demonstrations and workshops are offered. (All but the workshops are free.) I missed the lecture the night before, but I enjoyed this one. Deborah Reeder, curator for the St George Art Museum, spoke about Thomas Moran's travels to the National Parks and his influence on the creation of the National Park system. I didn't know Moran travelled exactly once to Zion and spent only five days here. But in that time, he made many, many sketches. I also learned that his Zion sketchbook is, curiously, not at Zion but at Yellowstone. And also, the event logo uses one of his sketches of the Great White Throne, superimposed over a photograph. It shows how accurate his drawing was.

Today is another painting day, and this afternoon I'll need to start framing work. Artists need to deliver their five best pieces tomorrow morning to the Nature Center.

Tonight (Thursday) is the second "Meet the Artists" event. Artists will be arriving after 5 at the Spotted Dog Cafe. Tomorrow (Friday) is the Quick Draw, starting promptly at noon. Artists have exactly 90 minutes to start and complete a painting, and then 15 minutes to get it - framed - to the auction block. Full details on all of this are at www.zionpark.org. I hope to see you there!

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 2

2011-11-02T04:55:00.003-07:00

As I travel Zion National Park this week, I'm mindful of a trend that I began to note while painting the Grand Canyon. There's a marked age difference between plein air painters and photographers. Plein air painting seems to be a young person's sport; photography, a pastime enjoyed by older folks. (Of course, this is a generalization; and now that school has started and fewer families are travelling, most of the tourists are retirees.) But will a day come when I find it easier and less troublesome to snap a few photos instead?

But look at some of the photographers! They lug as much gear as a painter, and they will wait many minutes for the light to get just right. Photography, too, can try one's patience and test one's endurance.

Our second day dawned windy and cool, about 50 degrees. I headed out again early, driving the full length of the Zion Canyon Road to see where the light was. As I suspected, the far, upper reaches of the canyon are narrow and steep-walled, and there was no sunlight to be found there. I retreated to Court of the Patriarchs, where I had some good sun yesterday. I made sure to wear my snow parka for warmth; I wanted to stay warm long enough to paint a 12x16.

Then, after a quick lunch, I drove back up the canyon to find the light. Not too far past the Zion Canyon Lodge I found a pull-off and a path giving access to the Virgin River. I set up on a sandy beach and in full sun. I had to point my umbrella down, almost horizontal, to block the light bouncing off the beach. It got warm quickly, and I found myself stripping off my parka and down to my turtleneck.

After this 9x12, I drove on up the canyon to take some photos of a few view points and hiked around the Big Bend. (I'm not doing as much hiking as I'd like this week.) Zion is very, very rich in painting spots - but not so much in parking spots! Now I understand why they run the shuttles during the busy season. But if you wait a bit, usually someone leaves. Most tourists stay just long enough for a photo.

The wind was getting up again, and clouds were moving in fast. I wanted to get in one more painting before quitting for the day, so I found another pull-off, this time just north of Court of the Patriarchs. Doug Braithwaite was finishing up a piece there, and we visited for a few moments. My last one was difficult because the clouds played with the light, but I think I got it.

Tonight (Wednesday) is our first "Meet the Artists" event. The public is invited to visit with us and see some of the week's work thus far at the Parallel 88 restaurant after 5. Artists are asked to bring a piece to hang and show for the evening. If you're around, stop in!

By the way, I've set up a "viewing room" in my hotel room. (No, I'm not painting in the room, and I am meticulous.) It's good to be able to put out all the work to evaluate it. I can decide which paintings are good to frame, which need a few adjustments, and which will become "backups."

Zion National Park Plein Air Event - Day 1

2011-11-01T04:20:00.001-07:00

This is my first time at "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran," the Plein Air Invitational in Zion National Park. Zion has a painting every hundred feet along the highway, and if you park and take any trail, the paintings multiply. Although I've been here a few times, I haven't had a full week of painting. Is it possible for one to overdose on beauty?

It was a six-hour drive from Sedona, and by the time I started snaking slowly on curvy Utah 9 behind two tour buses heading into the park, I was getting pretty tired. So, my first evening here was limited to unpacking and stocking up on groceries. I did check in with artists Anne Weiler-Brown and Kate Starling, who are coordinating the event, to pick up my goodie bag and packet of instructions, but after that, I took a short walk at dusk, and then went to bed and read up on travel literature about the area. (By the way, my lodging has been generously donated by Cable Mountain Lodge, right at the park's south gate.)

I was anxious to get going in the morning (Monday,) but Utah, unlike Arizona, respects Daylight Savings Time, and sunrise wasn't until 8. I headed out at first light. It was pretty windy - 53 degrees but a chill wind. The ranger at the gate let me know that it's always windy in the mornings here.

During the busier season, you can't drive your private vehicle up Zion Canyon. But the shuttle buses ceased operation for the season yesterday, so I was able to drive my own car, which is much more convenient. My first stop was Court of the Patriarchs. I followed the trail past the water treatment plant, crossed the bridge, and headed up to a little meadow with beautiful views. The wind was pretty stiff, so I sought shelter behind a small tree. Dawn lit up the mountains with brilliant orange and yellow. While I painted, three turkeys came walking by. To them, I was just part of the scenery.

I'd been painting in shade - it takes a long time for the sun to reach parts of the canyon floor - and my hands had grown numb by the time I'd finished painting. I had to retreat to the car to warm up. But soon I was ready to head out again, and I followed the same trail in and took a different view. I liked the Court so much that I could paint it all day, and I'll probably go back there.

After the second painting, it was time for a quick lunch and to drop off my studio painting at the Nature Center. Artists had to ship two studio paintings and then bring a third. I found out today from Trina that one of my first two studio paintings has already sold! I'm taking that as a good omen. (You can see this painting and others at http://www.zionpark.org/product_96.html )

After lunch, I drove on up the canyon, taking pictures and thinking about possible spots for later in the week. I found one pull-off past Angel's Landing with a gorgeous view of backlit cottonwoods and the Landing behind them. It was too good to pass up, so I did my third painting there.

Afternoon was dragging on, and so was I. I headed back, stopping at one place where I spotted a few familiar vehicles - Bill Cramer's CRV, complete with a full sheet of plywood mounted on top to make a painting stand, and Joshua Been's XTerra. I went down to visit. Unlike other events, where the artists have been able to use cell phones to organize impromptu painting sessions - our version of a "flash mob" - cell phones are pretty unreliable here, and I hadn't been able to contact anyone. I spotted John Cogan down by the water, too.

John Cogan

Bill Cramer

Joshua Been

Later that evening, we had our first artists' dinner, with Anne and Kate in Rockville. Anne lives right in town, and as I approached, I saw about a hundred parked cars. What a party! But no, these all belonged to trick-or-treaters. I'd forgotten it was Halloween. But still, our group was sizable - two dozen painters plus some family members, and volunteers and staff.

Now it's Tuesday morning. Even though yesterday was productive, I'll need to hustle again today. Weather is moving in for tonight - gusty winds - and possibly some snow later in the week.

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 7, and Zion National Park!

2011-10-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

"That's a wrap," as they say. For most artists, the painting was done with, and they rested beforethe Gala. (But I spent the day packing for my Zion event, aboutwhich I'll write more in a moment.) Artists gathered at the SedonaArts Center at 4 p.m. to preview the show and to vote for Artist'sChoice. SAC occupies two buildings with a parking area between them;artists and their work were split between the two. I made severalrounds of the galleries looking at work. There were many excellentpaintings, and it was hard to choose just one.

At five, the ticket holders arrived,and the celebration began. Rene at Tlaquepaque, one of the fancierrestaurants in town, catered the event under tents set up in theparking area between the galleries. (Tickets were $100 the day ofthe Gala.) I was in the upper gallery with artists J through W, andI spent a nice time talking to some of my collectors and the otherartists. Festivities ended at seven.

Today, Saturday, is the public sale,which runs from 10 to 3. If you're in the area, stop by and sayhello - and buy a painting!

After the public sale, I'll head righthome to resume packing for Zion. This is "In the Footsteps ofThomas Moran," the third annual invitational plein air event atZion National Park. (For details, visit www.zionpark.org.) I'll getthere Sunday evening with the event starting Monday and runningthrough the following Sunday. There are several workshops and freedemonstrations throughout the week, followed by a Quick Draw andauction on Friday. The event culminates in a Buyer's Preview Gala onFriday night and a public wet paint sale on Saturday and Sunday.

Invited artists include:

Mark Bangerter
Joshua Been
Arlene Braithwaite
Doug Braithwaite
Royden Card
Michelle Chrisman
John Cogan
Bets Cole
Bill Cramer
Cody DeLong
Dennis Farris
George Handrahan
Brad Holt
William Scott Jennings
Michael Chesley Johnson
Donal Jolley
Roland Lee
Gloria Miller Allen
David Nakabayashi
P.A. Nisbet
Sheila Savannah
Kathleen Strukoff
Anne Weiler-Brown
Seth Winegar

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 6

2011-10-28T06:47:00.001-07:00

"Oak Creek Shadows" - sold!

The Quick Draw is sometimes seen as the ultimate test of the plein air painter. In two hours, you are expected to create a one-shot masterpiece with bravura, frame it and then transport it safely to the display area. This is hard enough when you're off on your own, but it's even harder with a vocally curious public at your elbow. Imagine a ballet dancer - and now imagine that ballet dancer being pelted with questions about where she's from and where she got her training as she tries to execute a quadruple pirouette. Luckily, my experience has been that most of the public has been well-trained and just watches. I'm always happy to narrate as I paint, of course, and I do if someone is nearby.

I got to the Quick Draw location about an hour early. Some artists go the day before to scope out locations; I'm familiar enough with the creekside area of the Los Abrigados resort to not have to. But I did want to get there early enough to get my spot. I had a couple in mind. One was a large sycamore with a fantastic, Medusa-like collection of roots. But the more I thought about it, the more I decided the complex root structure would give me fits. (It might be something I'll tackle on a day when I'm painting for myself.) So, I settled on a more calming scene with water and strong contrast. The rain we had the day before has made all the creeks run red, and the red was a beautiful accompaniment to the yellowing greens.

The painting went well, and it sold during the sale following the Quick Draw. I was happy about that, as it made up for the Main Street paintout day in which someone bumped into the finished painting with disastrous results. Kevin Macpherson complimented me on the painting's strong color, and that made me happy, too.

I spent the rest of the day framing up pieces, and then we delivered them to the Sedona Arts Center. The hanging is this morning (Friday), and tonight is the Gala Event. It's time to get the paint out of my hair!

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 5

2011-10-27T07:06:00.002-07:00

Jerome always comes up with the most interesting weather. One year, we had snow squalls on "Jerome Day." I remember Jill Carver bundled up and painting while the snow piled up on her palette. We didn't have that yesterday, but we did have a terrific and sudden amount of rain. There was even a tornado warning issued for Prescott, not too far away as the cloud flies.

Dawn came with just a few clouds. After visiting the hospitality tent for a cup of coffee and half a bagel, I headed up the hill to a little park that overlooks the Spirit Room. This is a popular bar furnished with pool tables and ne'er-do-wells. But at 8 in the morning, its doors are shut, the billiard balls quiet and, I assume, the ne'er-do-wells elsewhere. What I like about the Spirit Room is its shape and color. It's a building with doors that open on the corner, and it has some beautiful greens in the trim. Shadows from the buildings across the streets change the color in interesting ways. It is Jerome at its most picturesque.

About an hour into the painting, the sun suddenly vanished. An ominous cloud, stained with Prussian Blue, loomed over the mountain behind me. When the first drops came down, I thought I'd wait out the shower and stand over my easel with the umbrella. But then the blue deepened, the wind picked up and I heard my first crack of thunder. Since I was in a high, exposed place, I decided to pack up. No sooner did I get in the car than the rain began.

And it kept on. I finally got tired of sitting in the car and, with my umbrella, made my way back to the hospitality tent. I joined some of the other artists - Will Tapia, Tracey Frugoli and Betty Carr - in keeping the tent from blowing away in the gusts. The rain, wind and lightning went on for a good half-hour, maybe more, and I was thankful I'd chosen to not wait it out in the open.

The rain finally ended, blue sky opened up, and I was able to get back to my spot and finish the painting. The shadows had changed completely, of course, but I always get those down first, just in case. Afterward, I went up to the Asylum restaurant with a fine view of the Verde Valley. The storm had hunkered down over Cottonwood and Sedona, and I could tell it was unleashing a torrent.

Spirit Room Morning, 9x12, oil

Today, we're off to Los Abrigados in Tlaquepaque for the Quick Draw. Then, later this afternoon, we turn in our paintings for the hanging.

By the way, this day marks six years of blogging - 673 posts, a prime number.

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 4

2011-10-26T06:45:00.001-07:00

Rain! Not buckets of it all day, but lots of little "popcorn" thunderstorms that dropped rain at inconvenient times. Overall, it was a challenging day with fickle sun and shadow. But despite that, the clouds were beautiful to watch. As I like to say, it was a good day for photography - but not for painting.

Due to the forecast, I headed out early to Doe Mesa. A magnificent cloud was building up over Casner Mountain. As I painted, it spread behind Bear Mountain as well, which wasn't far from my painting spot. I heard the occasional boom of thunder but kept painting. About two hours in, as I was finishing up, another cloud - complete with long veils of rain hanging from it - manifested itself near Coxcomb. It was heading my way, so I packed up. By the time I got to the car, the first heavy drops were slamming down.

I retreated to town and took my broken frame from the first day's Main Street event to Tony the Framemaker. (Tony's prognosis was favorable.) It wasn't raining in town, but I could see showers all around, so I went to Fresh Pita for a falafel sandwich. By the time I finished, showers still looked imminent, so I started to drive home, pledging to myself that if I found an open window, I'd stop and paint. I had my eye on a forest road that I liked south of town with good views. By the time I came to the turn, sure enough, it looked like I had maybe one rain-free hour ahead of me. I set up where I had a gorgeous view of the red rocks of Sedona. The play of light and shadow was tantalizing. As I painted, a cloud built up over House Mountain, just a mile away. Thunder cracked once or twice.

Although I enjoyed the beauty of the day, I'm still not sure what the fate of these two paintings will be. They're in the studio now, up on my viewing mantle, awaiting judgement. The palette knife stands at the ready, happy to scrape them down if need be. Scraping is actually a very freeing action, as it erases the past. Everything becomes OK again.

In the evening, I attended Kevin Macpherson's lecture. It was standing-room-only, so they had to bring in extra chairs. Kevin, who spoke about his "Reflections on a Pond" exhibit, talked about how hard it is for him to find time to paint for himself. What with traveling, workshops and events, life is busy, but for "Reflections" he gave himself an hour a day just to paint his pond.

Now - it's off to Jerome for Jerome Day. As dawn breaks, I can see some thick clouds over the mountains.

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 3

2011-10-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

12x16

Monday, as I mentioned in my last post, was a "free painting" day. I chose to stay closer to home and visit one of my special spots. It's along Spring Creek, and surprisingly, there's a good bit of early fall foliage. The river willows have turned a beautiful yellow.

For the one above, I turned back to the painting knife. Painting with the knife in a larger format - this one is 12x16 - always takes me longer, so it was good to work in a place away from people and other distractions. The rushing of a waterfall behind me created a Zen-like space, and that made it all the more pleasurable. You almost need that when painting with a knife because, for me, knifework consists of lots of little precise movements and very few large strokes. I do start the painting with a brush, but once the initial block-in is complete, I turn immediately to the knife.

I also had some time to adjust the two paintings I did Sunday evening at my Cathedral Rock overlook. Both of these were done rapidly because of the fast-changing evening light and had some rough edges that needed work. I had fully intended to paint these with a knife, too, but because things were moving quickly, I didn't have time to make the switch. Once you're on a fast boat in the rapids, you don't want to risk trying to get into a slower one.

Here they are. Same scene, different light. The small one (9x12) was done just minutes before sunset.

12x16

9x12

This evening at 7 pm, Kevin Macpherson will be giving a talk on his "Reflections on a Pond" exhibit, which is currently up at the Sedona Arts Center. I admire his work a lot, and I'm looking forward to it.

Now it's time to head off to another location. Today we have some beautiful clouds.

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 2

2011-10-24T08:11:00.002-07:00

Sunday, as well are Monday and Tuesday, are "free painting" days. That is, artists don't have to be anywhere in particular. However, the Sedona Arts Center has asked all the artists to either text in their locations or to set their smartphones to send GPS coordinates just in case patrons want to visit with us. Unfortunately, I haven't quite made it to the 24th century yet - I'm still waiting for Captain Kirk to come back for me - and I only recently learned to text. Yesterday afternoon, when I got to my location, I faithfully tried to transmit my coordinates, only to find that my phone reported No Service. Service is spotty around here once you go off the well-beaten path.

But before that, I dropped by Sedona Arts Supply to attend Scott Gellatly's lecture and demonstration. In about two hours, Scott, who is the Product Manager for Gamblin Artists Colors, gave an incredibly informative talk on oil palettes, both classic, Impressionist and modern, and on painting mediums. About 25 people attended, and several at the end said that the talk really cleared up a few mysteries for them. I learned one of the differences between mineral and modern pigments. It has to do with tinting strength and greying when white is added. For example, Cadmium Red, a mineral pigment used by the Impressionists, and Napthol Red, a modern organic pigment, look very much alike when squeezed out of a tube. They are both high in chroma. But when you add white to Cadmium Red, not only does the color lighten, it also gets weaker or more muted. This doesn't happen as much with Napthol Red. The modern pigments tend not to lose chroma when white is added. Scott demonstrated this with the reds, and it was fascinating to see.

Also, a new color "Sedona Red," which I had a hand in creating, was released to the public. (Sedona Arts Supply sells it exclusively.) Scott calls this a vintage color - like a wine, the next batch may be a little different from the last. I had a chance to use it, because after the lecture, Scott and I went off to paint.

Painting by Cathedral Rock

Scott Gellatly at Work

It was getting late in the day, but the light was getting richer. I started at 12x16, but as I was getting close to finishing, the shadows had changed so much on Cathedral Rock that I decided to put it aside for the next evening with good light. I started a second, a 9x12, and found myself really wanting some Napthol Red to replace my Cadmium Red - I just couldn't get the rich, sunset light as rich as I wanted by adding white! The Sedona Red worked really well as a base color, though. It was very easy to push it cooler or warmer and hit the color notes just right. I like this 2011 vintage.

Not Quite Done - 12x16

Afterward, several of us went to El Rincon in Tlaquepaque for dinner. Now this morning (Monday), a new day is starting, but some weather appears to be moving in. Time to get moving myself!

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 1

2011-10-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again, and the 2011 Sedona Plein Air Festival has started. About 30 invited artists attended orientation this morning, where rules were laid down and questions answered. It was also good to see some old friends from past events. I was especially happy to see an old friend who hasn't participated before, Lois Griffel. (Lois included a couple of my paintings in her new book, Painting the Impressionist Landscape.) Also at the orientation, Scott Gellatly, Products Manager for Gamblin Artists Colors, introduced a custom oil palette for the event. I'm proud to say that I was the consultant for the palette and also worked with Scott on designing the new "Sedona Red" that the artists will be using. Everyone got a full range of colors to work with. Thank you, Gamblin, for being one of the sponsors!

After orientation, artists wandered off onto Main Street to pick a painting spot for the afternoon. It can be a cruel thing, throwing artists to the lions so early in the game, but I found the public polite and interested in what I was doing. I selected a shaded spot near a new restaurant, Taos Cantina. Although I originally was going to paint the bright yellow umbrellas out front, I ended up focusing more on the bright blue exterior of the restaurant. You'll note that it's a knife painting. I had so much luck with painting with a knife at the Grand Canyon event that I decided to do more for Sedona. I do my initial block-in with a brush, though, to speed things along, as a knife can be rather slow.

At 4:00, all the artists had to stop, frame their work and lug it down with their easels to the Sedona Arts Center. This was the first public sale of the event, and artists had to display their framed pieces on their easels. Although I had mine well-secured, it didn't stop someone from bumping into the easel and sending the painting crashing to the pavement. I'm always extremely careful with this, and I've never seen it happen at an event before. The frame broke, and the painting smeared. Kevin Macpherson, who was reviewing the paintings for an award he was due to give at 4:30, saw it and said, "You can fix it. Go ahead, do it now." So I did, and it was an easy fix. (For the painting, anyway; the frame is going back to my framer for repair later this week.) I didn't get a sympathy award, though.

For the record, here is the finished painting with a new frame:

"Taos, Sedona" 12x9, oil

Now we have three days of free painting ahead of us. Sunday I'll be attending an event at Sedona Art Supply, where Scott Gellatly will be demonstrating Gamblin paints and mediums. After that, I'll go painting with Lois Griffel, probably at one of my special secret spots.

By the way, here is a full list of the participating artists:

Joshua Been
Betty Carr
Bill Cramer
Cody DeLong
Linda Dellandre
Tracey Frugoli
Bruce Gomez
Lois Griffel
Maggie Hellmann
Carolyn Hesse-Low
Sterling Hoffmann
Hai-Ou Hou
Peggy Immel
Michael Chesley Johnson
Sibyl Johnson
Becky Joy
Raleigh Kinney
Mike Kowalski
Robert Kuester
Ann Larsen
Robert Lewis
Roger Parsons
Susan Pitcairn
Terri Sanchez
Stephen Sanfilippo
Dave Santillanes
Julia Munger Seelos
Will Tapia
Pat Woodall

Memories of Ann Templeton

2011-10-19T07:50:00.002-07:00

Ann Templeton (1936-2011)

Over time, I'm sure more artists and students of painting will offer their own memories of Ann Templeton. I thought I'd take a few moments to share my own. Ann was a dear friend and my mentor for many years. I'll never forget working on her first book, Ann Templeton: A Step Beyond, her 30-year retrospective. I stayed in her guest house - what she called her "apple house" - so we could work 24/7. Ann was a night owl and would stay up until the wee hours pulling 35mm slides; I'd get up before dawn and start inventorying them. In the times when we overlapped, I interviewed her and took many, many notes.

She had a great deal of advice to offer me, most of which I took, and some of which I wish I had. You can find a lot of it in my book with her and also her second one, Color: A Step Beyond. Here are a few words of wisdom from her:

You can't paint rich unless you start rich. It's very difficult to make dull color rich. (Ann loved color, and often started off with the most jarring oranges, yellows and reds you can imagine. But, they were the foundation for many beautiful paintings. Transparent Orange and Manganese Blue were two of her favorite paints.)
When you first start painting, you get better fast. But then you level off, and progress is very slow. (Ann had a full career as a housewife, raised a family, and only then turned to painting. She studied under Sergei Bongart, Wolf Kahn and William F. Reese. Bill was a particularly good friend of hers.)
Be careful of what galleries you choose. Once you're in, it's hard to leave. (Ann had galleries coast-to-coast. She used to say that a working artist needed at least seven. Many of her painting friends attended her opening receptions. I remember that Walt Gonske came down one night from Taos to an opening in Ruidoso, New Mexico. That was a big deal for her.)

Ann taught many workshops each year. Two were her favorites. One was an annual workshop she taught out of her studio in Ruidoso. This workshop was more like a bunch of painting buddies hanging out together. I attended one of these sessions, and it was such a positive, energizing week. I remember painting with Don Getz, Ken Hosmer, Dee Wescott and many others.

But probably her most favorite was her annual workshop at Ghost Ranch, in Abiquiu, New Mexico. This was always in October, when the cottonwoods turn a beautiful yellow along the banks of the Rio Chama. She and Bob Rohm, another good friend of ours, taught parallel workshops during the week. One year, when I was a student of Bob's, it seemed like Ann got to all the good painting spots first!

It makes me sad to say that it has been two years since I last saw her. Schedules kept us apart, but phone and e-mail kept us together. The last time, she had just built a brand-new studio at her new home in the Hill Country of Texas. I was putting together a magazine article on studios, and since I was passing through on my way west, I decided to interview her for it. She really beamed proudly as she gave me a tour.

Goodbye for now, Ann, but your paintings and spirit will be forever with us.

Ann's First Book: Ann Templeton: A Step Beyond

Ann's Pastel Studio Setup

Ann's Oil Studio Setup

Ann's Oil Palette

Ann's Oil Palette, After Painting

Farewell to Ann Templeton

2011-10-18T08:12:00.001-07:00

My longtime friend and mentor, Ann Templeton, passed away last night after a long bout with cancer. She steered me on the path to becoming a painter and teacher, and she was an inspiration and guide to many other students and painters, as well. Ann genuinely loved people and gave much of herself.

Ann also loved color. Below are some of her paintings. I'll have more to say about her in days to come, but this is enough for now.

Sedona Plein Air Festival 2011

2011-10-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

"One Way" 9x12, oil (Jerome, Arizona) - sold

Now that we're finally back in Arizona for the winter and we're almost settled in, I thought I'd take a moment to remind everyone about the Sedona Plein Air Festival, which starts next Saturday. It's hard to believe this is my sixth year as an invited artist! Every year is different - different artists, and certainly different weather - so I'm looking forward to participating. (Above is one of my paintings from last year.)

You can find a full schedule of events here, but here's a brief summary:

Saturday, Oct 22, 1:30 - 4. Main Street Paint Out. All the artists will be painting on Main Street in Uptown. I'll be there, of course, so come by and say hello!
Saturday, Oct 22, 4:30 - 5:30. Main Street Paint Out Sale. If you liked the piece I painted on Main Street, this is your chance to buy it!
Saturday - Tuesday: Open Painting Days. Artists can paint wherever they wish in the Sedona area. We'll be either calling or texting in our locations so you can find us.
Wednesday, Oct 26, 8 - 3. Paint Jerome Day. I'll be with the other artists painting in historic Jerome. You never know what will happen this day - one year we had snow squalls!
Thursday, Oct 27, 10 - 12. Quick Draw. Once again, the artists will gather at Los Abrigados (next to Tlaquepaque) for a public display. The work we do in two hours will have to be framed and on the easel for judging by 12:30.
Thursday, Oct 27, 12:30-1:30. Quick Draw Sale. If you liked my Quick Draw piece, this is the chance to buy it!
Friday, Oct 28, 5-7. Art Lovers' Gala & Sale. This is the exclusive opening for the final exhibit. Tickets are $100 each, but it's your opportunity to get first dibs on some really great art. (Tickets are $75 now until Oct 22.) I'll be standing by my work to talk about the week. I hope you'll join us. Catering is by the excellent restaurant Rene.
Saturday, Oct 29, 10-3. Public Sale. Whatever didn't sell the night before at the Gala will be available to the general public. Artists will also have extra plein air work for you to consider, so don't despair if you didn't make the Gala. I'll be there again, happy to chat with you about my work, my workshops and life here in Sedona and on Campobello Island.

To whet your appetite, I include some photos from last year below. Hope to see you next week!

Me Painting at Slide Rock

Main Street Sale

Cody Delong

Joshua Been

Me at a Remote Spot

Quick Draw Sale

- Michael Chesley Johnson

Scottsdale Artists' School Workshop in January

2011-10-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

Tumacacori Jacal, 9x12, oil (sold)

As we work our way west across the country to Arizona for our winter Paint Sedona workshops, I thought I'd remind everyone about an upcoming workshop I have with Scottsdale Artists' School January 23-26, 2012. For this workshop, I'll show you how to strip your gear down to a minimum and to get the most out of plein air painting. Although the workshop is called "Backpacker Painting," we won't be backpacking - but having a backpack will help! I believe all your gear should fit easily in one bag. Also, I'll be showing you my method for "capturing the moment" quickly and efficiently but without sacrificing mood or magic.

The workshop will be based near Tubac, Arizona. We'll be painting the scenery, both natural and historic, in the area. Tubac is a nice little art town with good galleries and historic buildings. Some options include the Tubac Presidio Historic State Park and the mission at Tumacacori National Historic Park. I've included a few photos below to whet your appetite.

The workshop is for every level of student. I'll be working in both oil and pastel, but you can work in whatever medium you wish. Price for the four full days is $485. For more details and to register, please go to:

http://reg129.imperisoft.com/SAS/ProgramDetail/34323639/Registration.aspx

Tubac Catholic Church

Historic Tubac

Tubac Pot Shop

Tubac Shop

Tumacacori Bar (great pool table!)

Tumacacori Mission Bell Tower

Tumacacori Mission Cemetary

Tumacacori Mission Grounds

Middlebury Studio School Workshop

2011-10-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I taught a one-day oil-only plein air workshop at the Middlebury Studio School in Vermont. Vermont has had a lot of rain, and it is still getting a lot of rain. The school sits in the middle of town right next to Otter Creek Falls, where the water was rushing in a mad, muddy brown torrent. Because of the rain, we stayed indoors, but the school has a huge window overlooking the falls, so we were able to set up and paint the falls from life. (We were also able to use the downstairs of Edgewater Gallery next door, which has a similar window.) Plein air painting doesn't get any better than that - no bugs, no wind, no rain, plenty of coffee, a bathroom and a great view.

We had such a good time and Middlebury is such a beautiful place that we've decided to do another workshop next fall. This one, however, will run for two days and over the Columbus Day holiday weekend - Sunday and Monday, October 7 and 8, 2012. It'll be for all media and all levels. We'll also limit the workshop to only six participants. Stay tuned and watch the Middlebury Studio School website for details - http://middleburystudioschool.org/ . I bet this time we'll be able to get outside!

Now that the workshop is over, we are heading west again. You'll certainly hear from me while I'm at the Sedona Plein Air Festival (www.sedonapleinairfestival.com), which runs October 21-29, and maybe even a little before. Till then, wish us happy travels!

Changes in the Wind

2011-09-27T04:22:00.001-07:00

"Templeton Trail" 9x12, pastel

It's been a great year, but after much thought, we've sold the gallery space at Creekside Plaza. The new owner will take up residence in mid-October. The summer artists, Neil Rizos and Joyce Huntington, will be leaving soon for other adventures.

We'll still be in the Sedona area, however, and I'll be teaching advanced/mentoring workshops as I have the last few years. (I also offer a few weeks of traditional, all-level workshops.) For information on the Paint Sedona program, visit www.paintsedona.com. Weeks are starting to fill! If you're looking for a winter getaway, Sedona is the perfect place. There's plenty to do there for painter and non-painter alike - hiking, biking, massages, hot air balloon rides, Jeep tours and, of course, galleries to visit.

If you didn't have a chance to visit Pumphouse Studio Gallery and you're looking for my paintings, please visit Windrush Gallery (www.windrushgallery.net) in the Garland Building at 411 Highway 179, Sedona, just a block from Creekside Plaza. They've got a great selection of my recent work. You can also contact me for an appointment if you'd like to visit my home studio.

I'll be back in Sedona soon for the Sedona Plein Air Festival. This will be my sixth year as an invited artist, and I am looking forward to it once again. The Festival runs October 21-29, 2011. For a full schedule of events and a list of invited artists, visit www.sedonapleinairfestival.com.

Pumphouse Studio Gallery may return in another form some day - stay tuned!

Creating a Sense of Light on a Lackluster Day

2011-09-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Someone recently asked how one can create a sense of light when the day lacks brilliance. When the sun has gone behind the clouds or the fog has rolled in, contrast lessens and edges soften. You'll find that this more diffuse light will creep into shadows, weakening them. Things can began to look downright gloomy. When this happens, it's so easy to paint the world as if it's caught in some spectral dimension halfway between the living and the dead.

But don't despair! The light is there, and you can capture it.

A sense of light is created partly by value contrast. Strong light and strong darks signify intense illumination. But a sense of light is also created by temperature contrast. The Impressionists discovered that even if you have little value contrast - as on a dull day - temperature contrast can be used to create a sense of light. You probably already know that warm light creates cool shadows. This kind of contrast happens on dull days, too. If the light is cool, the shadows will be warm. By pushing the difference in temperature, even with little value contrast, you can increase the brilliance of the light.

In the painting below, the cool, pinkish light from the sky intensifies the warm, brown shadows beneath the dock, creating a brilliance that wouldn't be there if I hadn't "pushed" the temperature contrast. This piece also has strong value contrast, which helps the illusion.

"Waiting" 9x12, oil

By the way, this week was my last Campobello Island workshop for the season. We'll be on our way to Arizona soon for the Paint Sedona plein air workshops. And of course, we'll be back on Campobello next summer! You can find out about both workshops at www.PaintCampobello.com and www.PaintSedona.com.

Painting the Grand View

2011-09-23T04:20:00.001-07:00

"Low Tide" 8x10, oil
(Gamblin FastMatte Alkyds)

Before I get to the meat of this post, I want first to present the above painting. This is an 8x10 I painted for the Scottsdale Artists' School annual Beaux Arts event. This fundraiser for the School offers an auction of 8x10s painted by their instructors and other nationally-recognized artists. The auction will be held November 12 at the School. For more information: http://www.scottsdaleartschool.org/news/beauxart

A reader of my Grand Canyon blog posts asked, How does one choose and compose such a grand view? Well, it's not easy to fit 227 miles of canyon, ten miles across and a mile deep, onto a 9x12 canvas!

Back in the Romantic era, when an expanse of wild, mountainous landscape was considered by some to be such a soul-damaging view that traveling ladies would mask their eyes to protect their delicate sensibilities, one might have cropped down the scene to something safer, such as a single, windblasted tree. Even today, this is a good route to take when facing awesome views. I use a viewfinder - a ViewCatcher - and pick some small part of the scene.

But as one of the artists (David Haskell) at the event said, the whole point of painting the Grand Canyon is to capture the grandness of it.

In a small format, this is near-impossible. Certainly in a squarish format such as a 9x12. Ideally, a double- or triple-square would be best for the sweeping panorama. (I like 12x24, which is a double-square.) But if you are forced into a smaller, more square format, there is something you can do to suggest the grandness. You can exaggerate the atmospheric perspective.

When I painted the Canyon, I took special note of the effects of atmosphere - how colors cooled as the cliffs receded, how contrast lessened, and how edges softened. Then I "pushed" these changes to increase the sense of space. Even in a scene with a windblasted tree, I would choose a vantage point to include some of the Canyon behind it, which would give an idea of the hundred miles of cliffs. Ultimately, you must do everything you can to capture the grandness.

This doesn't mean you have to capture every little mesa top and cliff in the Canyon. Sometimes, it's more effective to just suggest them with a near-abstract pattern of light and dark patterns that look like the Canyon, but aren't a literal representation of it. If you manage the color temperature properly to evoke a sense of light and shadow, this works really well.

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 8

2011-09-17T05:09:00.003-07:00

(Friday, Sept 16)

Dawn

Most plein air events these days have a Quick Draw session. I used to dread these sessions. Imagine being surrounded by a constantly changing army of spectators, all with questions about what you do and why you do it - and at the same time, you're trying to do what you do, and to do it better than any of the other 29 artists! But these days, I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to meet some really nice people.

I headed out early to get a parking space up by El Tovar, which is where the Quick Draw was to be held. It was 6:30, and the event wasn't until 9. I used the time to stretch my legs, clear my head, see the sunrise over the canyon and call home. Once I finished my coffee, I walked the length of the Rim Trail from Verkamp's Visitor Center to the Kolb Studio to find a good location. I decided I wanted to save my energy for painting, not for lugging gear, so I chose one near the parking lot and right in front of El Tovar, the fancy resort. Once I dropped my gear, claiming my turf, I chatted with some of the other artists and strategized.

Waiting for the Starting Gun
(No, there's not really a gun)

My strategy is two-fold. First, work small. Second, have fun. So, I did an 8x10, and for fun, I used a painting knife. People were really curious about the knife, having not seen it used before. I gave them a mini-lecture about how it's hard to create mud with a knife - color is rich and clean - and how easy it is to clean up, with just a wipe of a paper towel, no mineral spirits needed. I did block in the scene first with a brush to get it going, but everything else was knifework. I was quite pleased with the results, and I guess the person who bought the painting was, too!

"Good Morning" 8x10

We painted from 9 until 11, and then promptly framed our work and delivered it to the auction tent on El Tovar's north lawn. For an hour, artists milled around with patrons. I ran into P.A. Nisbet and had a nice chat with him; he was one of the artist stars of last night's movie, "Chasing the Light." He'd been one of the painters working the North Rim. At noon, the auction began. We had a real auctioneer, and sales were fast and furious. I believe every single piece was sold, and for more than the reserve and often for more than fair market price. Having sold mine made my day. I promptly bought a sandwich from the luncheon tent to celebrate.

At the Auction

Afterward, I headed over to the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection. The curator graciously scheduled tours for artists and other interested parties, and she pulled out artworks that she thought we might like to see. I particularly enjoyed seeing the two original Gunnar Widforss watercolors and an original Thomas Moran. The Widforss works were intriguing because they are quite detailed yet still very painterly, and they were all done en plein air. Gunnar must have been a very patient man with a steady hand and an eye that did not get lost while tracing the Canyon's complex topography.

After a respite, during which I did the usual post-event housekeeping chores such as cleaning brushes, I went off to the evening's event at the Kolb Studio.

The Kolb Studio sits perched on the South Rim overlooking the famous Bright Angel Trail. The Kolb brothers, Emery and Ellsworth, daredevil photographers, lived there. Since some of our work is down in their living quarters, I got to take a tour. What a view! The Kolb brothers had a good thing going.

By 7 p.m., the Studio was packed with patrons. I was delighted to sell my studio piece plus a couple of the plein air pieces.

Saturday morning, the show will be rehung with the sold pieces removed and more pieces added. Then at 11, the show opens to the general public. (Come on down!) I'll be there from 11 to 1, and then I'll be heading back to the airport and Campobello Island.

I have to thank the volunteers, the Grand Canyon Association staff and board members. They put in a huge amount of time and labor to make this event a memorable and successful one for the artists. Thank you, too, to the National Park Service who gave the artists special access to the Canyon. And finally, I thank my wonderful hosts, who gave me the peace, quiet and support that a working artist needs at these events. Thank you, Rick and Chris!

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 7

2011-09-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

(Thursday, Sept 15)

Morning came with drizzle, and if you listened very closely, you could hear 30 artists sigh all at once. The weather certainly has been a challenge! But by the time we got out to our appointed painting zone, the rain had stopped. Little scraps of cloud drifted lazily in the dark Canyon. Clearly, I wasn't going to finish my sunny-day painting at the 1730 million-year mark. So, I set up near El Tovar where I could get coffee and started a new one. I did a nice little painting of the drifting clouds, but then the Canyon experienced a rare phenomenon - fog. It suddenly become completely filled with it. I felt like I was back on Campobello Island, surrounded by the ocean. And it wasn't long before El Tovar was enveloped, too. In the photo below, my painting is "before" and what's behind it is "after."

The fog came and went. I took many photographs of this sublime event. Finally, as a fine drizzle began to fall, I found a rocking chair on El Tovar's front porch and had a cup of coffee. With still some time to paint - 10 was the deadline - I set up near Bill Cramer on the edge and did a 5x7 of a pillar of rock with a little tree atop, the whole thing jutting up out of the fog. After looking at this painting later, I decided not to post it. I paint a lot of fog on Campobello, and this one just didn't cut it.

Randy Higbee, King of Frame (www.kingofframe.com), was in town to deliver frames to the event, so I went to pick up mine. I'd met Randy earlier around dawn on my rim walk past the El Tovar. Although he'd never seen Grand Canyon before and was no doubt disappointed at the lack of a glorious sunrise, he appreciated the unique photo op the weather provided.

Next, it was home to finish framing. Here's the line up on the porch. (At the end of the post are individual shots.)

I drove off to deliver my pieces to the Kolb Studio. When I got to the parking lot, a terrific hail storm ensued, so I sat in my car for ten minutes. After it passed, I opened my door to find I was parked in about eight inches of water. After hauling my paintings in - and breathing a sigh of relief - I took one last drive up Hermit Road, since my pass was still good. I ran across Joshua Been and Bill Cramer, each trying to make one last painting before the turn-in deadline. Evening was coming on, and the light was beautiful, so I decided to join them.

The day ended with a screening of Ed George's film, "Chasing the Light," which features painters Bruce Aiken and P.A. Nisbet on a rafting trip through the Canyon. It was fun to see the Canyon from another perspective.

Tomorrow: The Much-Feared Quick Draw. Now, here are the paintings I'm entering. (Five 9x12s and two 5x7s.)

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 6

2011-09-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

(Wednesday, Sept 14)

A crisp, clear start to the morning again. I didn't delay, but headed out around 6:30. I stopped for a moment to take a walk from the Shrine of Ages to the rim, where I'd have an unobstructed view of the sky. Things looked good, so I headed over to Yaki Point, where I wanted to resume work on the 9x12 knife painting from yesterday.

I decided first to find the spot I'd been in. I parked, hiked in...and couldn't find it! I did find a location that gave me a view of the formation I'd been painting, but it didn't look quite the same. I double-checked the photo I'd taken of the scene, and sure enough, I wasn't in the right spot. I ended up walking around about a half hour until I finally found it. I think a GPS would be handy for painters who need to return to an exact location. (And of course, I had a good one in the car, a Magellan Crossover which has topo maps in addition to road maps, but didn't think to use it in this way. Next time!)

Ron Rencher, On Location

I guess my spot was a good one, because Ron Rencher was already there, painting the same formation. I greeted Ron and told him what I was up to. But the light wasn't right yet, so I went off to do a 5x7 first. As I finished, the clouds began to build. Seeing that the rain would probably come earlier than I'd hoped, I went to where Ron was painting and resumed work on the 9x12. I did manage to get what I needed before the first clap of thunder.

5x7 Sketch

The 9x12 I Worked on for Two Days

I messed around with another tiny painting, but the rain got serious again. That was it for me. I had things to do besides paint. My time here is nearly done, and I needed to review my paintings and start framing. (There's still another morning of painting, but doing this today would save me time later; besides, the rain was becoming torrential, and there was pea-sized hail!)

But first, I had a tour of the artist-in-residence quarters above Verkamp's. The Park has artists - not just visual artists, but also composers, writers and others - year-round. The quarters are spacious and give stupendous views of the Canyon. I'd love to do a residence some year. They also have quarters on the North Rim, and having never been to the quiet North Rim, I'd probably choose to do one there. The quarters are smaller, just a cottage, but it'd be a different place to paint.

After tweaking and framing in the safety of the porch - the rain came all afternoon - I rested a bit and then headed to the social gathering of the week. The Grand Canyon Association threw a dinner party for the artists, judges, sponsors and GCA staff. Park Superintendent David Uberuaga was also there. Dinner was great and even included a vegetarian enchilada. (Although my standards have loosened over the years, I try to eat vegetarian whenever possible.) I had nice conversations with Cody Delong, Gregory Hull, Jim Wodark, Michael Obermeyer, William Scott Jennings, David Santillanes, and others. Afterward, I actually found my way home in the dark.

Thursday, the artists are expected to paint on the Rim Trail from dawn until 10 a.m. between Mather Point and the Trailview Overlook. I've got a spot picked out - a place I began a painting the other day - at the 1730 million-year-mark. See you there!

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 5

2011-09-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

(Tuesday, Sept 13)

After a brief, early morning drizzle, the weather began to clear, so I headed up the West Rim Drive toward a spot I liked near Hopi Point. Along the way, I spotted a variety of artists along the trail, each intent on beating the now-predictable afternoon thunderstorms. I arrived at Hopi Point at the same time as California artist Jim Wodark. There seems to be a certain honor among plein air painters that if someone else has arrived at your spot, you move on. But for Jim and I, it was like two cars arriving at a four-way stop at the same time - who goes first? It wasn't a problem, though, as my spot was a few hundred yards up the trail.

I found a small pool of water right at the rim's edge. It beckoned to me as something unusual, but not too unusual, to spice up what might otherwise be a trite canyon view. I also went back to the painting knife, since that seems to keep things lively in the color department. (This time, I've used Picasa's autocontrast feature on the painting images. They look good to me, but your view may be different.)

Afterward, I decided to continue on up the road to see if I could find another knife painting. I was feeling a bit tired, so it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. I should have taken a good long walk instead. As it was, I started...and then the clouds moved in, toying with me. I finally ended up scraping the painting and heading home for lunch.

After lunch and a good cup of coffee, I was ready to go again. I headed up to Yaki Point, found myself a nice scene with some storm clouds boiling up over the North Rim. After an hour, though, clouds boiled up over the South Rim, too. The light vanished, and although I thought about continuing, my morning's lesson was still fresh in my mind. What's more, Zeus had began hurling firebolts, too. Since they were hitting a little too close for comfort, I packed up. I had a very good start on this painting, and I'll go back tomorrow at the same time.

Elizabeth Black Demo

I went back to the El Tovar for the 4 p.m. demo. This time, Boulder, Colorado, painter Elizabeth Black was on the docket. I found out that while I was at Yaki Point, she was not too far away at Shoshone Point, and was 30 feet from a lightning strike there. I remember hearing that particular blast, and was glad I was on the way to my car. Plein air painting is not for the timid; between bees, hail, tornadoes, lightning strikes and hungry rock squirrels, the profession is rife with risks.

The sun broke out just as Elizabeth started her demo, and it was too good an opportunity to miss. After begging forgiveness, I retrieved my gear and set up near El Tovar. I had about an hour to do a 5x7, which I was very happy with. A few French-speaking tourists watched. Although my French is nearly non-existent, I understood that they liked the painting, too. Next year, I'll bone up on my French - and my German and French and maybe even learn a little Japanese, Italian and Polish. I've heard all of these spoken since I arrived.

This little painting is in an Art Cocoon, a wet panel carrier that doubles as a container to hold the painting while I paint. You can find out more at http://www.myartcocoon.com.

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 4

2011-09-13T05:51:00.001-07:00

(Monday, Sept 12)

Another bright, clear morning. I decided it was time to drive out to Desert View, which is at the far eastern end of the Park and a good 25 miles away. But on the way there, I decided to stop at Moran Point. Moran Point, as you may recall, is named after the Hudson River School painter, Thomas Moran. He not only painted the Hudson Valley but also spent time in the west on the payroll of the railroad, creating publicity images for their ad campaigns. Moran Point has a particularly nice outcrop that offers good scenes from several angles.

Joshua Been at Moran Point

Fellow painter Joshua Been beat me to it. He'd been there since 6:30; I arrived only a few minutes later. Clouds had begun to move in again, and Josh was cursing the changing light. A stiff breeze kicked up, too. I found my favorite spot down and to the right from where Josh was painting. A juniper offered relief from the breeze, which had turned quite cool. (It was 48 degrees.) No sooner than I had the painting blocked in than the rain began to spit down. It felt more like sleet! A few minutes later, though, the sun returned, and I was able to finish it off. This one is a knife painting. I may do more of these this week. It's hard to get muddy color with a knife.

Afterward, I drove on to Desert View. Desert View has a tall watchtower, built by architect Mary Colter in 1932 for the Fred Harvey Company. I didn't want to paint the tower, but instead the nice view of the Colorado River snaking down below it. But the thunderheads had built up again, and the rain came down. I sat in my car for a bit, trying to decide if I should move on to another location. But soon the rain stopped, the sun came out, and I went to my perfect spot.

Two paintings before lunch is a work day for me. I drove back slowly, checking out different pulloffs for views. I stopped at Grandview Point and was surprised to see a big van unloading a bunch of tall guys, each with a French easel strapped to his back. I inquired, and they said they are "space painters" - as in astronomy. They were here to do some field sketches because the terrain looks somewhat like that of Mars. What with the clouds and the imminent rain, I thought there was just too much atmosphere for any similarity.

Afterward, I sat on a rock with my sandwich and conversed with a raven, who was a little too interested in my meal. Then it was back to my hosts' house, where I learned of a tornado warning. A tornado had been spotted 10 miles south of Tusayan, heading east at 20 mph. Tusayan is only 7 miles south of Grand Canyon, and the warning went out to the painters. Although the tornado passed uneventfully, the rain continued, forcing the afternoon's demo onto the north porch of El Tovar. I went out to watch Michael Obermeyer, who had just arrived from California. Lucky for him, the weather finally began to move off as he began his demo.

Michael Obermeyer on El Tovar North Porch

We've certainly had some dramatic weather this week. Mornings are best for painting. But that's fine with me, because that's my favorite time of day!

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 3

2011-09-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

(Sunday, Sept 11)

The Grand Canyon is some 227 miles long, averages 10 miles wide and is about a mile deep. I witnessed a thunderstorm on this day that seemed even bigger than that.

After another night of torrential rain - it seemed to drum all night on the ceiling over my head - morning came clear and cool. (By the way, I'm really enjoying the 50 degree mornings here. It's much pleasanter than the 100-degree afternoons in Sedona!) I grabbed a cup of coffee at the Yavapai Lodge Canyon Cafe, which opens at 6, and headed out on the West Rim Drive. I finally settled on Trailview Overlook for some painting. Linda Glover Gooch had already set up nearby. Following proper plein air painter protocol, I said good morning to announce my arrival and then departed for a spot of my own. As I do for each session, I texted my location to the event organizer, who conveys the information to the Visitor Center so tourists can find the painters. As I painted, a few trail walkers stopped to watch and ask questions. I'm always happy to talk a little bit as I paint, as I meet some nice people that way. You never know who might become another painting student or your next collector!

The clouds began to build again as I worked. I watched one storm slide over the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff, nearly 80 miles away. By the time I finished, clouds had moved over me, and the good light was gone. I drove on west and ran into Bill Cramer. He'd found a small pulloff and was adjusting some paintings he'd done the day before. Since I didn't feel like starting another one, I joined him, and tweaked Saturday's paintings.

It still wasn't quite lunchtime, but I felt I was done for the day. I find it important in these events to pace yourself. I'd pushed my limit on the first day, and I was feeling it. So, I drove on up to Hopi Point and took a walk. I sat awhile on a bench, just looking at the view. It was incredibly calming to do so. It was just me, a rock squirrel and some chickadees.

The heavens broke open around noon. Rain spattered down. I hung out at my hosts' house, reading Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. This hefty tome records, in excruciating and gut-wrenching detail, the variety of ways incautious visitors met their maker at the Canyon. This is not something you want to read before going to bed.

When the rain stopped, I'd regained my energy and headed out to Yaki Point. By the time I got there, a magnificent storm was boiling up to the west. It was clearly heading my way. But the light on the cliffs was magical, so I started a painting. It wasn't long before this storm took on Canyonesque proportions. Lightning bolts hammered down. The clouds took on that weird shape and color that often come with tornadoes and hail. As I packed up, the storm creeped closer and closer. By the time I got to the car, tourists had lined up along the rim to gawk. Every lightning strike was followed with a wave of oohs and aahs. One lady was taking a movie of the lightning with her iPad. I couldn't help but think of Death in Grand Canyon. (It says, interestingly, that only a few people have been fatally struck here, and they've all been men; so she was probably safe.) I drove down to the village with pea-sized hail hitting the windshield.

Dave Santillanes Demo

I wasn't sure if the 4 p.m. demo would happen, but the rain stopped, the sun came out and a double rainbow appeared. Dave Santillanes of Colorado was the day's demonstrator. He had a good start, but within the hour, the rain started again. I went home to read more about people trying to hike 25 miles in 120-degree heat with only a jelly jar filled with water.

Below are today's pieces, both 9x12 oil. Again, I'm not sure of the image quality. On these, I used "autocontrast" in Photoshop.

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 2

2011-09-11T05:46:00.002-07:00

(Saturday, Sept 10)

After torrential rain Friday night, Saturday dawned clear and cool. Friend and plein air festival artist Bill Cramer called me at 6 a.m. to ask where I wanted to paint. It was still dark, but he was already in his car. Although I'd already been up for a couple of hours, I hadn't had coffee or breakfast. I'm no slacker, but I sure felt like one!

After a quick bowl of cereal and a quicker cup of coffee, I met Bill near Verkamp's, the old visitor center near the El Tovar lodge. We pulled on our packs and hiked east along the Rim Trail for views. And they were stupendous! We'd heard a lot about smoke from fires - all lightning-caused - and were a little worried that this would impact our painting. Nary a smoke molecule was to be seen.

Bill and I got separated and communicated by cell phone to ID our location to each other. We used the "million mile" markers on the trail to help us. The trail has little brass markers on it to identify the ages. The idea is that you can walk back and forth through time. At one point, I was painting at the 1730 million-years-ago mark, in the Paleoproterozoic era, when multicellular organisms were just coming into existence. On the way back, we spotted two condors on the ledge below the trail. They didn't seem to mind us watching them for awhile.

Bill Cramer at Work

After a lunch break, we headed over to Yaki Point. By then, clouds were rolling in and rising up, and a few spots of rain fell. I set up, anyway, and began to paint. I'm glad I did, because the rain moved south of me, and I was able to paint as long as I wanted. I had a few more curious onlookers at Yaki than I did on the Rim Trail; this was surprising, since Yaki is accessible only by shuttle bus (except for us lucky painters, who have been given special permission to drive in) and the trail near Verkamp's is in the heart of Tourist Land.

By 4 p.m., I was beat. I'd made 2 1/2 paintings - one I need to go back to finish. Every afternoon at 4, an artist is scheduled to give a public demonstration at Mather Point. I drove over to watch Linda Glover Gooch paint. I've met Linda before and was curious to watch her painting style. She wields a knife and a brush simultaneously. A thunderstorm was threatening, but it held off for the demo. Afterward, I pushed myself and headed over to Yavapai Point to do a little rain painting - a 5x7 - of the thunderstorm crossing the canyon to the west. I packed up when the lightning started to get a little close.

Linda Glover Gooch Demo

Below are two of the paintings from the day.

Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim - Day 1

2011-09-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

(Friday, Sept 9)

I am now at the Grand Canyon. I'm here for the Grand Canyon plein air painting event, which runs from now through Saturday, September 17.

I arrived around lunchtime and, after checking in with my hosts, explored for a few hours before our orientation session. I didn't feel like painting just yet, but more like taking photographs. Although I'd been to the Canyon only last April to paint, I thought it would be a good idea to get back the feeling for the lay of the land.

I visited Yavapai Point, where the geology museum is located, and Mather Point, home of the new visitor center and Grand Canyon Association bookstore. (The GAC is the organizer of the Celebration of Art's "Plein Air on the Rim" event.) I was surprised that, at the start of a weekend, there were still parking spots available. But the number of visitors do drop off after Labor Day at most tourist destinations. Still, there were plenty of people around, very few of whom were speaking English.

I must have walked three hours. The skies were beautiful. Unsettled weather -- we're still in monsoon season -- caused some magnificent thunderheads to build up over the North Rim, a few miles away. I also caught sight of a condor. Many people don't know it, but the National Park Service has re-introduced condors to the area. They are the largest bird in the world. But against the backdrop of the Canyon, they look quite tiny.

At orientation, I got to meet some of the other artists and to find out about the week's schedule. (View the schedule here.) I caught up with my friends David Haskell, Gregory Hull and Bill Cramer, too. I'm looking forward to painting with them and the other artists.

Heading Off to the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art

2011-09-04T05:28:00.000-07:00

"Overhang" 9x12, oil

Here's a painting I recently made in one of my Campobello Island plein air workshops. I am posting it now because it may be the last maritime painting you see from me for awhile!

I am about to head off to the Grand Canyon. As my loyal followers know, I am one of 30 painters invited to participate in "Plein Air on the Rim." I'm very honored to be a part of this event, now in its third year. I'll be meeting some old friends, plus making some new ones.

I'll be getting to Arizona a few days early to run some errands but, most of all, to acclimate. I'll be coming from sea level but painting at 7000 feet! Although I don't intend to do any serious hiking, I do want to be able to paint all day and to hike down into the canyon for a few unusual scenes. Although I've painted at the Canyon before, this will be a bit different in that it is a competition with awards, and I want to do my best work. Also, as one of the artists, I'll be getting special permission to go where the public isn't allowed, and I'm excited at the prospect of exploring some new spots.

The event starts on Friday, September 9, with orientation. Then we'll be painting until Thursday, September 15, on which day we'll have a group paintout at Mather Point where the public can catch us all in action at once. That evening, we'll take our best work to the Kolb Studio for the hanging. On Friday the16th, we'll participate in the Quick Draw event at the Kolb Studio. For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept of the Quick Draw, this is "painting under pressure." We'll have only two hours to paint, frame and deliver our quick draw pieces - all the while with the public milling around. Following the Quick Draw, there'll be an auction of these pieces at noon at El Tovar. Later that afternoon comes the judging and, that evening, the Buyers' Preview Reception. (You'll need a ticket for this.) Finally, on Saturday the 17th, the exhibition opens to the general public with award announcements. It sounds like a full schedule!

I'll do my best to post to my blog while I'm there. In the meantime, for more information on the event, visit http://www.grandcanyon.org/celebration_pleinair.asp.

Happy trails!

Workshop Junkies and More Thoughts on Plein Air Painting Workshops

2011-08-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

"Lighthouse Rocks" 6x9 pastel - contact Michael

What's the best way to fast-track your painting skills? Some seem to think that taking lots of workshops is the way. But no, that only makes you more educated, not more skilled. Especially if that's the only time you paint.

The best way to improve your skills is to practice outside of a workshop. A cellist doesn't get better at playing Bach's solo cello suites by reading textbooks and listening to recordings; he gets better by playing. Sure, the cellist needs feedback, and that's why he works with a cello teacher. But every cellist knows that the cello lesson isn't the only time you practice!

It's the same with painting. You can watch all the videos, read all the books and take all the workshops - and get a virtual MFA in the process - but it's not going to make you a better painter unless you practice on your own.

There's a type of student we painting instructors call "workshop junkies." These are students who take workshop after workshop and build up a formidable warehouse of painting knowledge, but who rarely paint outside a workshop. They don't have time, because they are busy travelling and taking workshops. These students have so many different ideas about how to paint that they've picked up from so many different instructors that they don't know which end is up.

Here's what I recommend. Treat yourself to one real workshop a year, just one. Pick a painter whose work you like. Check around to see if he's a good teacher. (Some pretty good painters aren't.) Read through his material - his book, a magazine article he wrote or his teaching philosophy on his website - and see if he's on a path you want to go down.

Then, take the workshop. Be humble, and listen. Ask lots of questions. Take notes. Listen some more. During the workshop, try to incorporate what you've learned as you paint. Finally, don't take another workshop for a year. Just go out and paint, and remember what the teacher said. If you found it valuable, use it; if not, discard it - but don't stop painting.

Painting from Photographs: All Surface, No Substance

2011-08-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

"Rock, Grass, Rock" 9x12, pastel - contact Michael

I take every opportunity I can to disabuse students of the notion that painting from photographs is a valuable skill. It's not. Creating a painting from a photograph is like staging a theatrical set and then trying to live in it. That impressive shelf full of books is just a trompe l'oeil; the telephone that's supposed to ring in Act II isn't wired to anything; and the roast chicken on the table is literally rubber. A painting made from a photograph is like that. At first glance, it may look right, but as you climb onto the stage and look at the props, you'll see that they're exactly that - just props.

The reason painting photographs doesn't work is that photographs contain a very limited amount of useful information. Your senses will quickly outpace the meagre amount presented. You'll end up inventing things or worse, ruining your eyes trying to decide if a particular pixel represents a flower - or just a flaw - in the photo. On the other hand, if you work from life, you can spend a lifetime looking and still not see everything. But best is this - if you have any question about your subject, the answer is out there.

So what, exactly, are the problems with photos? A lot: Values, color and perspective. Either the light areas will be blown out or the dark areas will be too murky to do you any good. You can't have it both ways, unless you're doing HDR (high dynamic range) photography. The color will be off, even if you're an expert with fine-tuning your white balance. Film (or computer screen LEDs) don't have the range or sensitivity of the human eye for color. And if you're not using the right lens, you'll almost invariably have distortion in perspective. It's not so bad for landscapes, but with architecture, the right lens can be the difference between convincing and laughable.

The only thing a photo is good for is for shape details. If you can't remember how many mullions a window has, the photograph will help you out. But if you need to know what kind of green the ocean was, you're better off looking at a color sketch you made in the field. Even a handwritten note on a pencil sketch saying "bluish-green, a little darker than the sky" is more useful than a photo - which is what the old-timers did before cameras were invented.

The above pastel was painted, of course, not from a photograph.

Have No Fear: The Magic Cropping Tool and Plein Air Painting

2011-08-25T04:25:00.000-07:00

"The Miss Fletcher" 9x9, oil - contact Michael

You're out in the field, and the most perfect scene imaginable as been handed to you. In the excitement of this marvelous opportunity, you launch in with inspired sprezzatura. Surely, every brush stroke will be masterful.

Thumbnail sketch? Nah, you skipped it, because the design was so obvious. But as you paint, you grow increasingly uneasy. There is something wrong, but you can't quite put your finger on it.

Back in the studio, you put the painting up on the easel. The cause of your uneasiness still escapes you, so you let it sit there a few days. One day, as you're walking by, sipping coffee and trying to steal a glance at it - as if the solution, a shy devil, might vanish if you were to look at it directly - and it comes to you.

Out comes the magic cropping tool. In my workshops, I make a joke about my "magic" cropping tool, but you'd be amazed at how many painting problems can be solved with a couple of pieces of cardboard. Find your center of interest, and start cropping creatively around it. Almost always, in a disaster of painting, there are a few salvageable inches, perhaps even a masterpiece.

It is always the part of the scene that won your heart in the first place. You spent a great deal of love and attention on it, making sure it was just right, but in the meantime you sacrificed everything else. Your instincts were right - congratulations!

The painting above is a case in point. It was a 9x12, but it ended up being a 9x9. I painted on a hardboard panel, fortunately, so it only took a boxcutter for the surgery. (Stretched canvas is more difficult; pastel paper is even easier.) Below are the two pieces put side by side. You'll note that the rock on the left intruded into the part on the right, and I had to paint out the tip of it for the finished painting. I've also put the detached piece as a separate image; it makes its own little painting.

"Head Harbour Afternoon" 3x9, oil - contact Michael

Digital Copies: The Lost Generation

2011-08-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

"Burke Falls" - 9x12, oil/knife - contact Michael

Back in the bad old days - the days before computers - it was not unusual to see a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy. It was barely legible, with letters seen as through a fog. Now that we're in the "good new days," in which the two-millionth digital copy of a document looks just as good as the original, you'd think all this new technology was doing us artists a favor.

Not so fast. Yes, it's true that a digital image can be copied and disseminated ad infinitum without any deterioration. But the bad news is, that original image was flawed to start with.

There are many steps - and many possible missteps - between photographing a painting and getting the image ready for publication, whether in digital or print form. No matter how good a photographer you are, you'll never capture the painting perfectly. For starters, a painting is a three-dimensional product. Whether pastel or oil, it has a discernable surface texture that is impossible to capture effectively in a two-dimensional medium such as a photographic image.

But worse yet, because no camera or scanner is perfect, you will always end up adjusting the image on your computer monitor. You'll try very hard to get the saturation, contrast and color balance right. But every monitor is different. For example, I think my desktop monitor is usually spot on. My new laptop's screen, however, shows the same image cooler and bluer. My wife's monitor shows it with too little contrast. There are calibration kits you can buy that will help you adjust your monitor (and your printer, too), but even if I have calibrated mine, you may not have calibrated yours. And then there's the color gamut difference between Macs and PCs.

Finally, size does make a difference. A large painting reduced and seen on a typical desktop monitor will usually look more impressive than a small painting enlarged. And please, don't even start me on the topic of looking at artwork on the 3.5" screen of an iPhone!

So, every time you look at one of my paintings on-screen - or any other artist's - please keep in mind that the real thing is surely going to be different. And, hopefully, better.

Of Bob Ross and Thomas Kinkade

2011-08-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

"Pottery Cove Garden" 9x12 - contact Michael

Sometimes two names crop up in workshops: Bob Ross and Thomas Kinkade. I think both of these fellows, one deceased and the other very much alive, deserve praise. Many "serious" painters may disagree with me, mostly because Bob Ross created a way of painting that shortcuts and, in the minds of these serious painters, seems to devalue the hard work they had to do to get where they are today; and because Thomas Kinkade figured out that romantic stone cottages with candlelit windows would sell far, far better than more authentic landscapes.

But I praise Ross and Kinkade because they help people work toward their dreams.

Bob Ross made it possible for many to paint who weren't able to get a proper art education or to find the time or money to take expensive painting workshops . He designed a whole system, from brushes to paints to easels, and had a TV series, all of which enables a rank beginner to express herself in a realistic way. To be sure, many of his landscapes were imaginary and contrived, but any beginner who could learn his approach was on the road to becoming a fulfilled painter. Many of these students, and today they are legion, no doubt aspire to be future Monets, and thanks to Bob Ross, they are able to work toward a satisfying means of expression. Those who do get out in the world of art soon realize that Bob Ross is not an end but a means, and these will continue to grow as painters.

Thomas Kinkade, whom people are surprised to hear is an excellent plein air painter, presents in his studio work warm, inviting images that anyone with an inkling to pick up a brush would want to emulate. Kinkade wasn't around when I was growing up and aspiring to be a painter, but other artists who sold similar images to the mass market were. I remember a print, big as a couch, that hung in my parents' living room. It showed a bucolic scene complete with an old covered bridge, stencilled with an advertisement for Red Man Tobacco, and two barefoot kids fishing. (My parents still have the print today.) I loved that image, and I painted my share of dilapidated rural structures because of it. If Kinkade had been around, I'm sure I would have painted stone cottages. What drew me wasn't the painting itself - after all, I was looking at a flat print with no visible "mark making" from a brush - but the sentimental image.

It would be good for students who start with Bob Ross and Thomas Kinkade to continue to read about art, to view it constantly, and to look widely at the world of representational painting. They should thank Bob and Tom for opening the door; but then walk on through to the next garden.

2012 Calendar Now Available - Landscape Paintings of Arizona, Downeast Maine, Canadian Maritimes

2011-08-19T03:56:00.001-07:00

My new 2012 calendar is ready! For $17 plus shipping, you can get 13 landscape paintings and seascapes from the previous year. Paintings include scenes from the American Southwest (Arizona), the Canadian Maritimes and Downeast Maine.

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about Christmas, but if you're like me, you're already planning for 2012 and need to give yourself (and family and friends!) a good calendar right now. If you're thinking of a 2012 Michael Chesley Johnson plein air workshop, you'll have a place to make a note of it once you sign up.

Here's the link for a preview and to buy: http://www.lulu.com/product/calendar/michael-chesley-johnson-2012-calendar/16598672